Family wants answers after Ohio soldier's suicide

Family wants answers after Ohio soldier's suicide
By JOHN SEEWER (AP) – 6 hours ago

WILLARD, Ohio — Just about everyone in Keiffer Wilhelm's life — his father, his brother, his best friends — had worn a military uniform or grew up around someone who did.

So when he decided that was his best option too, he heard plenty of advice about surviving boot camp and beyond. He ended up liking the Army so much, he wanted to make it a career. He even volunteered to join another unit so he could speed up his departure to Iraq.

Just days after arriving, everything changed.

Now his family and his friends want to know what happened in Iraq that pushed the gentle, playful 19-year-old to kill himself two months ago. His final desperate act, they say, doesn't fit with the young man who grew up in a proud military family and always wanted to please everyone.

They hope to get some answers on Friday when two soldiers who served with Wilhelm in Iraq are expected to appear at a military hearing similar to a civilian grand jury. They have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment related to Wilhelm and at least two others. Two more soldiers also have been charged and are scheduled to appear at hearings next week.

Military investigators say Wilhelm had been a target of the four soldiers, who were mistreating some of the men in their platoon. But they also concluded the alleged misconduct didn't cause Wilhelm's death.


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Family wants answers after Ohio soldiers suicide