October 31 – FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. – Charges have been filed against a soldier in the death of Ligonier, Indiana, native Sgt. Sara Roque.
In a press release from Fort Leonard Wood, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, charges were announced Thursday against Specialist Wooster Rancy, 21, with the 5th Engineer Battalion, in connection with Roque’s death.
The general nature of the charges against Rancy concern the murder of Roque on October 20 and obstruction of justice in violation of Articles 118 and 131b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The charges are accusations and Rancy is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the release said.
Rancy is currently being held in pre-trial detention pending a preliminary hearing pursuant to Article 32, UCMJ.
Rancy is originally from North Miami, Florida, and serves as a combat engineer with the 509th Clearance Company, 5th Engineer Battalion. He joined the Army in 2022 and attended basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood.
The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division continues to investigate and updates will be provided as they become available.
Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional details are known about the circumstances of Sgt. Roque’s death via Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs.
Roque is the daughter of Ana and Jorge Roque and graduated from West Noble High School in 2020.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 300 Ravine Park Drive, Ligonier. Father Ryan Tomassi will speak. Burial will be in Oak Park Cemetery in Ligonier, where full military rites will take place.
An overnight visitation will begin at 2:00 PM on Friday, November 1 and continue until 9:30 AM on Saturday at Yeager Funeral Home, 1589 Lincolnway South, Ligonier.
