Three more soldiers from Tacoma's Joint Base Lewis-McChord have been charged in the alleged premeditated murders of three Afghan civilians this year – crimes committed using grenades and rifles, according to military authorities.
Two other soldiers, who were previously charged in the killings, also stand accused of beating a fellow Stryker soldier in connection with the civilian deaths.
That means a total of five soldiers with the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are now charged in a string of killings that reportedly started in January and ended in early May.
Four of the five are being held in pretrial confinement at Lewis-McChord, with the fifth scheduled to return there soon, officials said Wednesday.
All five soldiers are assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment. They deployed to Afghanistan last summer.
Pfc. Andrew H. Holmes, Spc. Michael S. Wagnon II and Spc. Adam C. Winfield were charged Tuesday evening with one count each of premeditated murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to a news release. Each is accused in separate killings.
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