New developments have emerged in the case of a Fort Campbell soldier’s murder, with additional details about the suspects’ prior federal charges coming to light.
Two people have been indicted, including the victim’s husband, in the 2024 murder of Fort Campbell Private First Class Katia Duenas-Aguilar, who was found stabbed to death in Clarksville, Tennessee.
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The Clarksville Police Department announced that the Montgomery County Grand Jury indicted 35-year-old Sofia Rodas and Aguilar’s husband, 40-year-old Reynaldo Salinas Cruz. Rodas was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, while Cruz was charged with tampering with evidence.
Newly revealed court records show that a U.S. grand jury indicted Salinas-Cruz and Rodas on charges of marriage fraud in October 2023, months before they were implicated in Duenas-Aguilar’s death. The indictment states that around September 2023, Salinas-Cruz and Rodas “did knowingly combine, conspire, confederate and agree” with each other and with others to enter into marriage in order to evade immigration laws. Their fraudulent marriage agreement lasted until May 17, 2024, just one day before Duenas-Aguilar was found murdered in her off-base apartment.
On May 18, 2024, 23-year-old Fort Campbell Private First Class Katia Duenas-Aguilar was discovered deceased inside her apartment at The Centre apartment complex in Clarksville. An autopsy report revealed she suffered 68 sharp force injuries, predominantly in the neck. According to the Montgomery County Medical Examiner’s Office, Duenas-Aguilar had 55 stab wounds and 13 incised wounds. Of those, 39 were on the right side of her neck, eight on the left, with others found on her upper back, shoulders, and scalp. Her official cause of death was ruled as sharp force injuries to the neck, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
A toxicology report was also conducted, indicating the presence of ethanol and Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in her system, with a blood alcohol level of 0.161, more than double the legal driving limit of 0.08. GHB is commonly associated with drug-facilitated sexual assaults due to its sedative effects and ability to cause memory impairment.
According to documents obtained by Clarksville Now, Salinas-Cruz and Rodas had been married, not just to each other, but also to two Fort Campbell soldiers.
On May 22, 2020, Salinas-Cruz, a native of Mexico, married “Sophia” Rodas of El Salvador, with her first name spelled differently on that document. They remained married for two and a half years before divorcing. Over two years later, on December 16, 2022, a Fort Campbell soldier, Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Scott Thompson, married Rodas. They spent the next 10 months together as husband and wife, however, on October 29, 2023, Thompson suddenly died.
According to posts on Facebook, he died by suicide. When Clarksville Now reached out to the Clarksville Police Department to request Thompson’s cause of death, the request was denied on the grounds that it is part of an open criminal investigation.
According to his obituary, SSG Jeffrey Scott Thompson, spent 14 years on active duty before his death at 40-years-old.
“He is survived by his wife, Sofia Rodas Thompson; children, Sophia Thompson and Nicolas Thompson; mother, Kathy Thompson; twin brother, Jason Thompson; and sisters, Amber Wilson (Gary), Amy Mack (Edward),” the obituary reads.
On October 6, 2023, Salinas-Cruz married Duenas-Aguilar. He was married to her for seven months before her murder. Count one of the U.S. grand jury indictment states that Salinas-Cruz and Rodas’ marriage fraud began during or around September 2023 and continued until May 17, 2024—the day before Aguilar’s murder.
Salinas-Cruz and Rodas were arrested on federal marriage fraud charges on October 4, 2023. Rodas pleaded not guilty three days later, while Salinas-Cruz initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty in November. He was sentenced to four counts of time served.
The investigation into Duenas-Aguilar’s murder continued, leading to the Montgomery County Grand Jury indicting Rodas and Salinas-Cruz in December. They were extradited to Clarksville on February 7, 2025, and booked into Montgomery County Jail. Both are expected to appear in court for arraignment at 9 a.m. on February 21 at the Montgomery County Courts Complex.
Rodas, originally from El Salvador, was charged with one count of marriage fraud, while Salinas-Cruz, a native of Mexico, received two counts. Court documents further revealed that, in addition to his marriage to Rodas, Salinas-Cruz married a different woman on or about October 6, 2023, also as part of an immigration fraud scheme.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Duenas-Aguilar’s death, and additional charges may follow as new evidence emerges. Anyone with information or additional video footage is asked to contact Detective Hofinga at 931-648-0656, ext. 5720. Callers to the Clarksville Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Tipsline can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward. Contact the tip line at 931-645-8477 or online at P3tips.com/591.
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