Charles Langston:Police, Army investigators following leads in killing of Fort Campbell soldier

CLARKSVILLE,Charles Langston Tennessee (AP) — Police are asking for public assistance and following leads in the killing of a 23-year-old Army soldier who was found dead in a home near Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The family of Pfc. Katia Dueñas Aguilar planned a funeral Friday in Dallas, with soldiers expected to attend from her unit, the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.

Police in neighboring Clarksville, Tennessee, said Dueñas Aguilar was found dead in a residence there on May 18 and her death was ruled a homicide. But authorities have released no further information, saying the investigation was continuing. Clarksville is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) southeast of Fort Campbell across the state line.

The 101st Airborne Division said in a statement Thursday that it was offering support to her family, who live in Mesquite, Texas, and urged anyone with information to contact police.

“We will continue to prioritize our support and resources to Pfc. Dueñas Aguilar’s family during this difficult time,” the statement said. “Honoring the fallen is one of our most sacred responsibilities. Those rendering honors and attending the funeral include Pfc. Dueñas Aguilar’s friends, fellow soldiers, and commanders from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, where she served as an information technology specialist.”

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Her family and The League of United Latin American Citizens have offered a reward of $55,000 total for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Clarksville Police Department and Army criminal investigators are working together on the investigation.

During a news conference last Saturday in Texas, Dueñas Aguilar’s family asked for justice for her family as they announced the reward money. She had a 4-year-old son and had enlisted in the active-duty Army in 2018. The Army said she had been at Fort Campbell since 2019.

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Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner contributed from New York.