Pfc. LaVena Johnson's family wants investigation reopened

Family asks Army to reopen pfc. suicide case

By Cheryl Wittenauer - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jun 3, 2008 20:33:27 EDT

ST. LOUIS — The father of the first female soldier from Missouri to die in Iraq wants Congress to force the Army to reopen its investigation into her death.

John Johnson, father of LaVena Johnson, said Tuesday that he met in April with Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, as well as others.

The Johnsons and their supporters collected signatures for petitions asking the House and Senate Armed Services committees to direct the Army to revisit the investigation of Johnson’s death.

“I could let it go, but then, someone will get away with murder,” John Johnson of Florissant told reporters Tuesday.

Army Pfc. LaVena Johnson was found dead July 19, 2005, in a small contractor’s tent in Balad, Iraq, after only eight weeks in the country. Army investigators and coroners ruled she had shot herself in the mouth with an M-16 rifle.

Johnson contends his daughter was attacked, raped and had her body dumped in the tent, where a fire was started in hopes of destroying her remains.

The House Armed Services Committee is looking into the case, but has not decided whether to hold a formal investigation, said spokeswoman Lara Battles.

A spokeswoman for the Senate Armed Services Committee said it was unaware of the case.
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