A Fort Hood, Texas, soldier and agent with Army Criminal Investigation Command has been charged with the 2018 murder of his wife.
Staff Sgt. Lesly J. Lindor is in pre-trial confinement, accused of killing 34-year-old Rachelle Lindor on Sept. 3, 2018, in Harker Heights, Texas, near the base, Army Criminal Investigation Command spokesman Christopher Grey said in a statement to Military.com.
Initially, the Harker Heights Police Department was the lead investigative agency, with CID agents assisting in the investigation, Grey said.
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But during the investigation, CID agents "became suspicious of the cause and manner of death and continued an independent investigation into the death of the accused's spouse," he added.
Army Times reported that Lindor tried to acquire tetrodotoxin -- a neurotoxin found in puffer fish -- "for use as a weapon in the months prior to his wife's death."
Grey could not confirm that Lindor tried to acquire the neurotoxin or whether it was used in the murder but said that Lindor is also charged with attempting to violate the Federal Biological Weapons statute.
Fort Hood officials have also charged Lindor with stalking, failure to obey a lawful order, failure to obey a general regulation, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice, Grey said.
Grey said he could not release the charge sheets against Lindor at this time.
Lindor was placed on administrative duty in October 2018 and assigned to a support unit, Grey said.
"He has not worked any CID investigations since October 2018," he added.
Lindor joined the Army in November 2010 and became an agent in 2017, Grey said.
"It is important to point out the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty," Grey noted.
The Fort Hood murder charge against Lindor is the latest example of violent crime at the Texas post. Over the past eight months, Hood has been in the national spotlight after the tragic death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old 3rd Cavalry Regiment soldier who was allegedly murdered by fellow soldier, Spc. Aaron Robinson.
An independent review of Fort Hood's command climate following Guillen's murder resulted in former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy relieving or suspending 14 leaders on the post.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
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