The general court-martial trial of a U.S. Army specialist accused of murdering a fellow soldier at Fort Leonard Wood began this week after weather delays postponed jury selection by one day.
Spc. Wooster Rancy, assigned to the 5th Engineer Battalion, is charged with murder and two counts of obstruction of justice in the October 2024 death of Sgt. Sarah Roque. The case is being tried before an enlisted panel at a general court-martial, the Army’s highest level of trial court.
According to the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, jury selection began Tuesday instead of Monday due to weather conditions. The trial is being held at the Pulaski County Courthouse in Waynesville, Missouri, and is scheduled to run through Feb. 13.
Rancy has pleaded not guilty and elected trial by an enlisted panel, according to court-martial docket records. The case is being heard within the Army’s 4th Judicial Circuit under the convening authority of the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood.
The Charges
Army prosecutors allege Rancy murdered Sgt. Roque, a fellow soldier assigned to the same battalion, and then took deliberate steps to conceal the crime. He is charged under Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for murder, along with two specifications of obstruction of justice under Article 131b.
Court records show the case progressed through multiple pretrial stages prior to this week’s trial, including arraignment in July 2025 and Article 39(a) motion hearings in October and November.
Background of the Case
As previously reported by The Salty Soldier, Sgt. Roque, 23, was reported missing on Oct. 21, 2024, after she failed to report for duty. Her body was later discovered that evening inside a dumpster near base housing at Fort Leonard Wood.
Investigators have stated that Roque was shot in the head, restrained with zip ties, and placed inside a heavy-duty trash bag. Authorities arrested Rancy shortly after the discovery.
During an earlier Article 32 preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented evidence they said demonstrated premeditation, including surveillance footage and receipts showing Rancy purchased trash bags and zip ties the day of Roque’s disappearance. Cell phone data placed both soldiers inside Roque’s apartment that morning, and investigators testified that Rancy conducted online searches related to garbage disposal schedules on the installation.
Ballistics evidence presented during the hearing linked a Ruger LC380 handgun recovered from Rancy’s apartment to the fatal gunshot. Investigators also reported finding blood evidence and a bullet hole inside Roque’s refrigerator.
The defense did not present witnesses or cross-examine government witnesses during the Article 32 hearing.
About the Victim
Sgt. Sarah Roque was a mine dog handler assigned to the K9 Detachment, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Engineer Battalion. A native of Ligonier, Indiana, she enlisted in the Army in 2020 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.
Her awards included the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Army Service Ribbon. She was laid to rest in Indiana on Oct. 29, 2024.
The Accused
Rancy, a native of North Miami, Florida, joined the Army in 2022 and served as a combat engineer with the 509th Clearance Company. He has been held in pretrial confinement at the Midwest Joint Regional Confinement Facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, pending trial.
The court-martial is expected to continue through Feb. 13, with the government presenting its case before the enlisted panel. If convicted, Rancy could face life imprisonment or other severe penalties under the UCMJ.
As with all criminal proceedings, the charges remain allegations, and Rancy is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Salty Soldier will continue to monitor the trial and report on significant developments as proceedings move forward.
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