Found Deceased TX - Sgt. Elder Fernandes, 23, Fort Hood, 17 August 2020

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evilwise said:
See the issue can be that in the military, things like squad cohesion and the chain of command can be seen as literally everything. If a soldier is seen as too much of an independent thinker a superior might think it's a good idea to demonstrate that he can make that soldier do what he's ordered to do even if there's no obvious reason for it, even if it constitutes sexual assault. There's the idea that in a combat situation a soldier may not understand the reason for the order they're receiving but lives depend on them following it - and other soldiers are expected to pull together as a unit against soldiers that are seen as not operating as a part of that unit even if it means handing him a noose and dropping him off in the middle of nowhere or disposing of his dismembered remains in the ocean after pressuring him into riding on the running boards of a Jeep at 50 mph down a bumpy beach.

The thing is that these soldiers are not destined for combat. The military needs more mechanics, IT techs, mathematicians, electricians and other nerds than it needs killing machines but that isn't the culture
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This is a great post
 
Where are Tom Cruise & Demi Moore when you need them?

I very much fear there is a truth here that will be covered up and swept under the rug. This mother desperately wants to find out what happened to her son, but she does not realize the massive forces she is up against.
 
So sad to hear about another soldier's passing. I have so many questions about this case ... is it known that EF did not have his phone in his possession?

One article states he was dropped off at a former roommate's home, but never made it to the front door. Have investigators stated how he got to the location where he was found deceased or how he obtained the tools he used in his alleged sucuice?

Early on it was stated that his car was located on the base. Did the car remain there during his entire hospitalization? Or was the car at the location where EF was dropped off?

What was the nature of the conversation between EF and the members of his unit who transported him from the hospital to the former roommate's home? Also, where was EF living prior to being hospitalized? IMO
 
PatLaurel said:
Fort Hood holds press conference on late Sgt. Elder Fernandes


Uh... uh... um... uh... um... Psychology explains these sounds. MOO JMO
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Thank you for this video. I had a little trouble getting it to play but it does provide useful information. At about 20:15 in this video, some of my questions were answered to a certain extent.

1) No mention of EF's cell phone, but it was stated that EF had contact with his family during his hospital stay.

2) Officials repeatedly stated that EF was dropped off at the residence he requested to be at. The official eventually states this was EF's residence and that when his First Sgt dropped EF off, he smoked a cigarette outside & was not observed to enter the residence. I believe it is stated that he lived at this residence before leaving for the field training, which sounds like it was July30th?

3) EF's car was reportedly left on base since before the field training on July30th & during his hospital stay. The official stated that the battery was dead, that's why EF requested to be dropped off at his residence. However, it is unclear if the First Sgt took EF to the car first. Otherwise, how would they know it was dead?

4) Finally, I didnt hear a mention of the conversation with his First Sgt during the ride or an explanation of how EF got to the location where his body was discovered or how he obtained any tools used in his alleged suicide.

IMO
 
I think that anyone who is a victim af sexual abuse on this base (or elsewhere) should make a video statement of what happened by whom, when and where.
Including the name(s) of the abusers, if and how they reported it etc.

And make sure that these statements are in a safe place/ the hands of people they trust (family).

That is your life insurance.
 
PatLaurel said:
Fort Hood holds press conference on late Sgt. Elder Fernandes


Uh... uh... um... uh... um... Psychology explains these sounds. MOO JMO
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CID says sexual assault claim found to be unfounded (inappropriate grabbing of buttocks). They gave the date of the opening of the claim and said he was aware of the outcome but did not provide the date the case was closed or when he was notified.

Stated that Sgt. Fernandes was degrading mentally since March. August 10th Sgt. Fernandes was id'd as failure to report and family was contacted. Don't see connection with failure to report and sexual assault.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
 
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kaen said:
CID says sexual assault claim found to be unfounded (inappropriate grabbing of buttocks). They gave the date of the opening of the claim and said he was aware of the outcome but did not provide the date the case was closed or when he was notified.

Stated that Sgt. Fernandes was degrading mentally since March. August 10th Sgt. Fernandes was id'd as failure to report and family was contacted. Don't see connection with failure to report and sexual assault.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
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wow, so they dismissed his sexual assault claim?? Just like that?? Why would a soldier, (especially a man) lie about something like that when its no doubt embarrassing and a long process? Only thing I can think of is a way to be placed elsewhere if you want to avoid certain people but there are ways to do that that don't involve putting yourself in such a vulnerable position. if this is true and suicide is confirmed as COD then I have no doubt that this is related. That's terrible.
 
bombardier said:
wow, so they dismissed his sexual assault claim?? Just like that?? Why would a soldier, (especially a man) lie about something like that when its no doubt embarrassing and a long process? Only thing I can think of is a way to be placed elsewhere if you want to avoid certain people but there are ways to do that that don't involve putting yourself in such a vulnerable position. if this is true and suicide is confirmed as COD then I have no doubt that this is related. That's terrible.
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It's just like classic bullying. A social group horses around and establishes certain de facto limits, in this case apparently a certain amount of grab-***. One member of the group thinks he's gonna stand up for what's right or whatever but in reality he's singling himself out as weaker than other members of the group and showing the exact thing that pushed his buttons so it becomes a thing to do to him, something everyone else (including command, it seems) is comfortable with but he's not. Repeat until either he "gets over himself" or he breaks.
 
Moonbeam456 said:
The articles are saying it appears he had been deceased for a while. I just Googled the spot where his body was found and I’m finding it very hard to believe that a body could be there for a long period of time without being seen, this is not a wooded area.
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I just saw the video of the location where his body was found on Facebook, I was wrong about it being out in the open and easy to see. It just happens to be an area next to the train tracks where there are quite a few trees, most areas around those train tracks are easier to see. The embankment where he was found is very steep and rocky, it would be difficult to get down there from the train tracks however from looking at Google maps it looks like on either side of the train tracks there are trails that lead right to that area, one trail coming from the area surrounding Lake Polk and one trail coming from an area that appears to be a park or something, lots of car shops and industrial shops around. (See attached map, red circled area is where his body was found.


I still have a hard time believing this was suicide. If it was, why did he chose that particular place? Did he have a history of going to that area?
 

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Moonbeam456 said:
I just saw the video of the location where his body was found on Facebook, I was wrong about it being out in the open and easy to see. It just happens to be an area next to the train tracks where there are quite a few trees, most areas around those train tracks are easier to see. The embankment where he was found is very steep and rocky, it would be difficult to get down there from the train tracks however from looking at Google maps it looks like on either side of the train tracks there are trails that lead right to that area, one trail coming from the area surrounding Lake Polk and one trail coming from an area that appears to be a park or something, lots of car shops and industrial shops around. (See attached map, red circled area is where his body was found.


I still have a hard time believing this was suicide. If it was, why did he chose that particular place? Did he have a history of going to that area?
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Can you post Facebook link please.
 
Just saw this -- Please forgive if it's a repeat. WTH is going on in Ft. Hood? IIRC, we've seen some other Fort Hood cases some time back, IINM.

Just joining this thread today. Already it has a certain slant, but I haven't read any comments on this thread yet. I don't like this situation -- I need to learn more...
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Army Calls Sex Abuse Allegation of Soldier Found Dead 'Unsubstantiated' — But Family Disputes Claim

Police found the body of Sgt. Elder Fernandes hanging from a tree more than a week after he vanished

By Steve Helling
August 27, 2020 01:56 PM
A Fort Hood soldier who was missing for a week and later found hanging from a tree was the alleged victim in an ongoing sexual abuse investigation, but the Army says his claims were "unsubstantiated."
[...]
Through their attorney, Fernandes' family allege that an assault did happen -- and it impacted Fernandes' mental well-being.

“He didn’t have any mental health issues when he joined the Army,” attorney Natalie Khawam said in a press conference, according to the Austin American-Statesman. “He reenlisted this year. He told his mom how happy he was to serve. Everything was great until he was sexually assaulted by his staff sergeant. He was upset and humiliated.”
[...]
Fernandes' death was the latest in several incidents tied to the base this year.
--------------------------------
More here:
Army Calls Sex Abuse Allegation of Soldier Found Dead 'Unsubstantiated' — But Family Disputes Claim
 
Fernandes attorney: Family ‘kept in the dark’

"Khawam [the family's attorney] said that, according to his roommate, Fernandes had exhibited what appeared to be suicidal behavior, and had told the roommate he did not want to return to Fort Hood, likely due to the abuse and harassment to which he had been subjected. The roommate had suggested to Fernandes that he go to a hospital.

Khawam also cited a purported signed document stating that Fernandes was supposed to be in the care of his superior officer, and not simply been dropped off at his residence in the 2700 block of Woodlands Drive in Killeen prior to being reported missing."
 
Backstroke10 said:
Thank you for this information. I guess it makes sense about the phone but I wish he could have talked to his mom during his hospital stay.
MOO I haven’t teared up on a case in a long time but I cried yesterday. I believe the Mom when she says he wouldn’t have done this. Of course I could be wrong and we may never know the truth but I’m having a problem with how he got 30 miles away. What did he use to hang himself? Where is the location exactly and could he have been there so many days without being seen? MOO
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yessss and if he has what he needed in his back pack that he had with him wouldn’t the person that picked him up and dropped him off seen it? Anddd I know he didn’t have it in his backpack at the hospital so how did he get what he had and when ?
 
SoCalDavidS said:
Where are Tom Cruise & Demi Moore when you need them?

I very much fear there is a truth here that will be covered up and swept under the rug. This mother desperately wants to find out what happened to her son, but she does not realize the massive forces she is up against.
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Reminds me of what Demi’s character went through in GI Jane. (Military is scary)
 
kelsie said:
Here's what we know about 8 of the soldiers who died this year at Fort Hood - CNN

Just posting this for context.

Besides Guillen, at least 7 soldiers stationed at Fort Hood have died or been found dead since March, including one who took his life after becoming a suspect in Guillen's disappearance.

There have been 23 deaths this year among the post's 36,500 soldiers, Fort Hood officials told CNN in a statement. According to officials, the deaths include seven off-duty accidents; seven suicides; one combat-related death; four homicides, one of which was on the base; two of natural causes; one that was undetermined pending an autopsy; and one drowning.
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bbm
Seven suicides -- this year. Damn. It's a big population, yes, but that's just sad, sad, sad. And Elder's death has not ruled anything in or out as COD -- right??
 
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