An ex-Army soldier in Alabama has been sentenced to more than 20 years in a military prison after being convicted of killing a comrade during a fight in their barracks.
Pvt. Brian Jones Jr., 24, pleaded guilty on Jan. 29 to one count of unpremeditated murder in the death of Pvt. Abdul N. Latifu, 21, of New York City. Jones, who was dishonorably discharged according to the Fort Rucker Public Affairs Office, will serve his sentence at the U.S. Army Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The killing occurred on Jan. 10, 2023, with the case coming to a conclusion last Thursday after a nearly two week court-martial proceeding. Following his death, Latifu was described by Army officials in a statement as a “promising young soldier.”
“The murder occurred just over three years ago, and it has been a long road to justice, but today is the day that Pvt. Jones is finally held accountable for taking the life of Pvt. Latifu,” Fort Rucker Lt. Col. William Wicks, a prosecutor with the Headquarters of the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, told Military.com. “Pvt. Latifu was not only a soldier; he was also a beloved son, uncle and brother.”
Tool Used in Deadly Fight
Authorities said Jones murdered Latifu at Fort Rucker in Alabama where the two shared the same barracks.
Both soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors maintained that Jones attacked Latifu with an entrenching tool or small shovel, also known as an e-tool, during a fight. Army officials have not released a motive for the attack. The two soldiers were both training to become air traffic controllers.
“While the conviction and sentence cannot reverse the tragic loss of Pvt. Latifu, we can only hope that today’s outcome is the first step in allowing Pvt. Latifu’s family to begin to heal,” Wicks said.
Jones was arrested by military police shortly after Latifu was killed and charged with murder.
Dishonorable Discharge Added to Prison Time
Jones was sentenced to 247 months of confinement, which amounts to 20 years and 5.8 months in a military prison.
Additionally, Jones was demoted to the rank of E-1—the lowest enlisted paygrade in the U.S. military, representing entry-level personnel in training with no insignia worn on uniforms. Jones was also ordered to forfeit all remaining pay and allowances, along with being given a dishonorable discharge.
“I would like to thank the law enforcement professionals of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Southern Field Office for the outstanding support they provided in the investigation and prosecution of this case from beginning to end,” Wicks said.
History Of Soldier-On-Soldier Killings
Soldier-on-soldier killing is known in military circles as “fratricide,” which is loosely defined as the killing of one’s brother or sister.
Experts say it has existed throughout military history, with notable spikes during times of low morale and high resentment.
There was also the “fragging” phenomenon of the Vietnam War. From 1969 to 1972, more than 900 documented and suspected incidents occurred, often involving fragmentation grenades used against superiors. The term “fragging” has evolved since then to now be defined as any deliberate killing of military colleagues.
The U.S. military investigates and prosecutes all homicides and acts of violence that happen within its jurisdiction, working with the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Office of Special Trial Counsel. However, soldier-on-soldier killings are considered rare.
Between 2006 and 2021, there were 619 homicides of soldiers—equating to about 3.2 percent of all soldier deaths during that timespan. There were 19,378 total active-duty deaths between those years, with the highest numbers attributed to accidents (6,198), self-inflicted (4,930), illness or injury (3,470), and killed in action (2,740).
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