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Missing 23-Year-Old Soldier Found Dead in a Dumpster · Murder Files Unsealed

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  Speaker 1: Okay, we're diving into a really tough topic today, the
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  deaths of two soldiers, Sweat Sarah Roch and Pfc Katya
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  Duenas Aguilar.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, these are the kinds of cases that really hit home.
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  You know. The ripple effects are just huge.
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  Speaker 1: You got that right. It's families, friends, their units. The
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  whole military community feels it. And you are listeners. You
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  reached out wanting to understand what happened.
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  Speaker 2: And honestly, even just reading the news reports, it's clear
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  there's a lot to unpack here.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely. Both of these young women were found dead under
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  well mysterious circumstances, and the fact that it happened on
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  and off base just raises even more questions.
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  Speaker 2: It does make you wonder about the safety and security,
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  especially for women serving in the military exactly.
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  Speaker 1: And that's what we're going to try to do today,
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  really dig into these cases, stick to the facts, and
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  use official sources in news reports to try to make
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  sense of it.
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  Speaker 2: All. Sounds like a plan. Where should we start.
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  Speaker 1: Let's begin with skrat Rope's case. She went missing from
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  Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri on October twenty first.
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  Speaker 2: Of this year, just a few weeks ago.
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  Speaker 1: I know it's so recent and tragically. Her body was
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  found the very next day, and the location, well, it's
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  really disturbing. A dumpster on.
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  Speaker 2: Base, in a dumpster, that's wow. Someone definitely tried to
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  hide what they did.
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  Speaker 1: It's chilling to think about. It makes you wonder who
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  would do such a thing and why.
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  Speaker 2: Knowing the base and its routines, that points to someone
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  who knew what they were doing for sure.
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  Speaker 1: And there have already been some major developments in this case.
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  The Army has a person of interest in custody and
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  they're investigating her death as a homicide.
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  Speaker 2: Person of interest doesn't automatically mean guilt, but it does
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  mean they're focusing on someone specific.
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  Speaker 1: Right, it sounds like they had a pretty good lead
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  early on in the investigation.
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  Speaker 2: It could be eyewitness accounts or something they found at
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  the scene. I'll have to wait and see what comes out.
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  Speaker 1: It really makes you think about what those first clues
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  might have been. But before we get too caught up
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  in the investigation, I think it's important to remember Sarah
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  the person.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, she deserves to be remembered for who she was.
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  Speaker 1: She was only twenty three years old from Indiana and
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  had just completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. She
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  was a bridge crew member and even a mind dog handler.
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  Speaker 2: Those are some demanding roles. Takes a lot of courage
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  and skill.
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  Speaker 1: No kidding. And she was already racking up commendations, the
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  Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense
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  Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
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  Speaker 2: That's impressive. She was clearly dedicated to her service.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, these medals show that she was a real asset
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  to her unit, someone with a bright future ahead of her.
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  Speaker 2: It's a huge loss for her loved ones, but also
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  for the Army as a whole.
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  Speaker 1: And you can really feel that sense of loss in
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  the statements from Fort Leonard Wood's commanding General, Major General
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  Christopher beck I.
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  Speaker 2: Bet he was devastated. Something like this impacts the entire base.
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  Speaker 1: He talked about the shock and sadness that rippled through
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  the whole community. It wasn't just her unit that felt
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  this loss, it was everyone.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it makes you question the safety and security, especially
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  for the women serving there.
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  Speaker 1: That brings us to our second case, the death of
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  Pfc Katya Duennas Aguilar. She was also twenty three, found
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  dead in an off base apartment near Fort Campbell, Kentucky,
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  back in.
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  Speaker 2: May, so a few months earlier.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and this case, well, it's different in some ways,
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  even more disturbing in what way. Well, the details of
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  her death are pretty brutal. The autopsy report reviewed that
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  she was stabbed fifty five times and had another thirteen
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  insized wounds.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, that's horrific.
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  Speaker 1: It's hard to even imagine that level of violence.
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  Speaker 2: And thirty nine of those stab wounds were on the
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  right side of her neck. That suggests a very personal attack,
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  a lot of rage directed at her specifically.
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  Speaker 1: It does, doesn't it. This wasn't just a random attack.
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  This feels much more targeted.
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  Speaker 2: Personal definitely points to a different kind of motive.
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  Speaker 1: Before we go any further, though, I think it's important
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  to talk about Katya, her life, her service. She enlisted
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  in twenty eighteen as an information technology specialist.
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  Speaker 2: A vital role in today's military.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely. She trained in Joy and then was assigned to
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  Fort Campbell in twenty nineteen. Like Sarah, she also earned
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  several commendations, including the Army Good Conduct Medal and the
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  National Defense Service Medal.
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  Speaker 2: Two incredibly dedicated, accomplished young women.
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  Speaker 1: It's just tragic, and in Kantia's case, unlike Sarah's, there
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  haven't been any arrests. Whoever did this is still out
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  there and that must.
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  Speaker 2: Be incredibly difficult for her family and friends. No sense
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  of closure.
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  Speaker 1: It has another layer of pain to an already heartbreaking situation.
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  We've laid out the basic facts, but now it's time
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  for the deep dive. What were the motives behind these killings?
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  Were these isolated incidents or is there something large or
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  more disturbing at play here?
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  Speaker 2: And what does this say about the safety and security
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  of women in the military, both on and off base.
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  We have a lot to discuss, we do.
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  Speaker 1: These are tough questions, but there are questions we need
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  to ask.
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  Speaker 2: You know, one suspect in custody, the other one still
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  out there. It really makes you think about military life,
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  you know.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a world with a lot of discipline, sacrifice,
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  tough situations.
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  Speaker 2: Right and with all that, how do you also make
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  sure everyone is safe?
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  Speaker 1: That's the million dollar question. As we dig into these cases,
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  we can't be afraid to ask some hard questions like
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  what we'll get like with there any warning signs, any
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  red flags that maybe someone missed.
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  Speaker 2: That's something investigators are definitely looking at right now, but
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  a lot of those details are going to stay confidential
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  for now. Really, Yeah, they have to protect the investigation
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  and make sure nothing jeopardizes any potential legal action.
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  Speaker 1: Makes sense, But generally speaking, what kinds of things might
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  investigators be looking into? What are some common factors in
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  cases like these.
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  Speaker 2: Well, there are threats that come from inside the military
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  and those that come from outside. Internally, you have things
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  like hazing, bullying, even just conflicts within a unit.
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  Speaker 1: Creating a toxic environment basically right.
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  Speaker 2: And that can be especially dangerous for people who already
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  feel isolated or marginalized.
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  Speaker 1: Which brings us to the unique vulnerabilities faced by women
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  in the military.
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  Speaker 2: It's an issue the military has been grappling with for
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  a long time. How do you create a truly inclusive culture.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, there's been some progress, but we still hear
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  about sexual harassment, discrimination, women feeling like they're not taken seriously.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and all of that can have a huge impact
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  on their safety and well being.
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  Speaker 1: And it's not like those issues just disappear when they
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  leave the base exactly.
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  Speaker 2: Can spill over into their personal lives in the civilian
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  communities around.
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  Speaker 1: The base, so investigators are going to be looking into
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  their connections off base as well.
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  Speaker 2: For sure, were there any relationships that might have put
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  them at risk anyone they had reason to fear.
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  Speaker 1: It's a complicated web to unravel. You also mentioned external threats.
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  What would those look like in these cases?
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  Speaker 2: External threats could be anything from random acts of violence
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  to something more targeted.
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  Speaker 1: Because they're in the military.
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  Speaker 2: Right, military personnel, especially someone with specialized training like Sarah,
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  could become targets for people or groups with hostile intentions, So.
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  Speaker 1: You're talking about things like espionage or even terrorism.
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  Speaker 2: It's possible, though it's too early to say say for
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  sure in these cases, but it's definitely something investigators have
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  to consider.
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  Speaker 1: It's a heavy burden for those investigators sifting through all
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  those possibilities trying to find the truth in the middle
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  of all this.
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  Speaker 2: Tragy, absolutely, but it's a vital job. They're seeking justice
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  for the victims and their families.
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  Speaker 1: And for the integrity of the military itself.
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  Speaker 2: Right, these investigations send a message that these actions won't
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  be tolerated.
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  Speaker 1: And hopefully they'll shed some light on any systemic issues
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  that need to be addressed.
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  Speaker 2: That's the goal right to prevent these kinds of things
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  from happening.
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  Speaker 1: Again, absolutely, So we've talked about internal and external threats,
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  but let's circle back to the specifics of these cases.
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  Are there any clues or pieces of evidence that really
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  stand out to you?
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  Speaker 2: Well, In skret Roke's case, it's significant that they found
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  a person of interest so quickly.
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  Speaker 1: Like you said before, it suggests they had a strong
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  lead right from the start.
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  Speaker 2: It could be eyewitness testimony or even physical evidence linking
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  that person to the scene.
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  Speaker 1: And we can't forget about the dumpster. It seems like
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  more than just a coincidence.
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  Speaker 2: It feels deliberate, like someone trying to hide what they did.
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  Speaker 1: It's a very disturbing detail. And then there's Duennas Aguilar's case.
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  The brutality of that attack is just so hard to grasp.
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  Speaker 2: The number of stab wounds, the location, it all points
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  to something much more personal than a robbery or random
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  act of violence.
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  Speaker 1: So maybe someone who knew her, someone who had a
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  reason to want to hurt her that badly.
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  Speaker 2: That's a strong possibility. Investigators will be looking closely at
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  her personal relationships, any signs of conflict, jealousy, obsession, anything
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  that might explain why someone would.
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  Speaker 1: Do that, and the fact that the suspect is still
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  out there adds a whole other level of fear and uncertainty.
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  Speaker 2: It does, and not just for her family and friends,
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  but for the entire community around for Campbell.
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  Speaker 1: So it's important for people to stay vigilant and report
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  anything that might be helpful, even if it seems small.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly every tip could be a piece of the puzzle
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  that helps solve this case.
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  Speaker 1: And at the end of the day, we have to
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  remember that these were real people, real people who dedicated
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  their lives to serving their country. We owe it to
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  them to find the answers and make sure this doesn't
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  happen again.
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  Speaker 2: We owe them justice, accountability, and a commitment to creating
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  a safer environment for everyone in the military.
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  Speaker 1: That's a good place to pause for a moment. We've
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  covered a lot, but there's still so much to discuss.
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  When we come back, we'll dive into the bigger implications
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  of these cases and what they reveal about the state
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  of the military today. You know, it feels like these
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  cases they're bringing something bigger to light.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, like we're starting to see some of the cracks
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  in military culture.
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  Speaker 1: And how that impacts everyone's safety, not just women, right, it's.
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  Speaker 2: About the environment itself. Does it allow these things to
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  happen to go unaddressed exactly?
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  Speaker 1: So we have to ask does military culture, sometimes even unintentionally,
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  create a climate where violence and harassment can flourish.
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  Speaker 2: Hmmm, that's a tough one. We always hear about the brotherhood,
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  the strong bonds, but.
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  Speaker 1: Could that same closeness create a kind of us versus
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  them situation?
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  Speaker 2: Potentially? Yeah, it could end up excluding certain groups and.
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  Speaker 1: Not just gender right, race, religion, sexual orientation. It can
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  all create those divisions.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and when that happens, people feel isolated, less likely
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  to report.
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  Speaker 1: Abuse because they're afraid.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, afraid of retaliation, of being ostracized, hurting their careers.
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  Speaker 1: That's awful. You should be able to trust the people
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  you serve with.
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  Speaker 2: You should so building a culture of inclusivity and respect
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  it's crucial.
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  Speaker 1: It sounds good, but how do you actually make that happen?
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  What can the military do?
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  Speaker 2: Leadership is key. Commanders have to set the example zero
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  tolerance for harassment.
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  Speaker 1: And not just talk about it, right. There have to
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  be consequences.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and support for victims. It needs to be safe
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  for them to come.
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  Speaker 1: Forward, so counseling, legal help, knowing they'll be taken seriously.
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  Speaker 2: All of that. But we can't just react after the fact.
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  Prevention is vital, like what training programs that focus on
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  bystander intervention conflict resolution.
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  Speaker 1: So changing hearts and minds, not just checking boxes exactly.
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  Speaker 2: Building a military where everyone feel safe, respected, value.
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  Speaker 1: And that makes the whole four stronger, right.
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  Speaker 2: Without a doubt. When everyone feels like they belong, you
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  have a more cohesive, effective unit.
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  Speaker 1: We've covered a lot today, the deaths of these two soldiers,
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  the potential causes the impact on military culture. As we
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  wrap up, what's the main thing you want our listeners
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  to take.
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  Speaker 2: Away from all this that even though these cases are
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  incredibly sad, they can spark positive change.
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  Speaker 1: It's a call to action in a way.
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  Speaker 2: It is we have to confront these issues head on
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  and demand better for those who serve our country.
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  Speaker 1: So it's about honoring their sacrifice, pushing for a military
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  where everyone feels safe, value.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, keep the conversation going, ask the tough questions, hold
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  those in power accountable.
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  Speaker 1: It's about creating a military that reflects the best of
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  who we are.
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  Speaker 2: You got it. Remember behind the uniforms the ranks are
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  real people, families, dreams, Sarah ro Katya Duenas Aguilar.
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  Speaker 1: Their lives mattered, and their deaths shouldn't be in vain.
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  We have to keep fighting for justice, for equality, for
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  a safer military for everyone.
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  Speaker 2: That's the mission.
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  Speaker 1: This has been a heavy topic, but so important to discuss.
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  We encourage you to keep learning, keep talking about these issues,
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  and never forget the human cost of these tragedies. Until
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  next time, stay informed, stay engaged, and stay curious.