Authorities in Texas have charged a U.S. Army Soldier with murder after they reversed their previous determination that her husband was a suicide victim after he had been found on Christmas Day 2019 with a gunshot wound to the head.
Sgt. Carmen J. Ironhawk. is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her husband, Sgt. Hector A. Cervantes. The couple was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.
The Army Times reported that Cervantes had three children. One of them was named after Ironhawk’s elder brother who died in 2014.
Authorities claim that Ironhawk killed Cervantes in December 2019.
In a statement that accompanied the charge sheet, 1st Armored Division spokeswoman Lt. Col. Kimbia Rey said: “The charges against SGT Ironhawk were merely allegations. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Stars & Stripes reports that Ironhawk pleaded no contest at his arraignment earlier this month.
According to court documents, she is not in confinement as she awaits the court-martial scheduled for November 6 with a jury.
After re-examining the case, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division started investigating the death.
The investigation by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is still ongoing. CID said that it would be inappropriate to release any additional information due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Cervantes is an infantryman who was assigned to Company C of the 1st Battalion 77th Armor and Ironhawk, a specialist in signal support systems.
