Man Who Shot Deputy Underwent Change in Iraq
As of Friday, December 16, 2011
The disturbed Iraq War veteran who shot and killed a deputy sheriff and then committed suicide last week is one of many troubled returnees from the war that officially ended Wednesday.
Martin Abel Poynter was a Green Beret whose troubles apparently started in the sands of a distant desert.
He was a Special Forces medic who served in Iraq with the 7th Special Forces Group, the SF group that lost more soldiers in recent conflicts than any other.
Records show Poynter came back from the war a changed man. He was in Moore County in April 2007 when he was picked up on a warrant for desertion and held until Army officers picked him up later that day.
That warrant had been issued in Cumberland County, and at the time the Army warned that Poynter "is a soldier in the Army Special Forces Group and may be trained in martial arts along with other specialized training."
The Army asked for a "no bond" felony hold for extradition, and while Magistrate Doyle Markham chose not to jail Poynter without bond, he did set the bond at $2 million.
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Original Report
Iraq Veteran commits suicide after killing deputy
My name is Allison Jenkins. I am the niece of MURDERED deputy sheriff Rick rhyne.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Martin poynter deserves to be called an Iraqi war veteran. He was an army deserter. He was violent and had serious mental issues. He tortured his wife and 4 children.
The army and his family failed him in getting him the help he needed. His brother failed my uncle by not telling him that his brother was armed.
MY family is full of our countries first resoponder. Rick's son and daughter in law are both Lt. Colonels in the united states air force, both fighter pilots, both currently serving, both having been in combat. Rick's son is scheduled to deploy in march to Afghanistan leaving his 3 year old and 10 month old behind.
My brother and brother in law (army & marines) are both VETERANS of the gulf war. My cousin is a navy seal, serving 16 years to date. My other 2 brothers are a sheriff, and a fireman/paramedic. We have 2 nurses, and another paramedic and fireman currently active. My uncle Tim was killed in the line of duty on fathers day, leaving behind 9 & 6 year old girls, who today are a psychologist and nurse.
Martin poynter does not deserve the respect or title of veteran. He does not deserve to be in the same category as any member of my family.
I have dozens of friends currently serving, in various stages of service...deployed and otherwise. My family rallies around each and every one of them to ensure their mental health. ALL of them have seen hateful and indescribable things...they aren't murdering anyone.
Martin poynter made a choice to shoot my uncle in the head for simply doing the job he loved so much that upon his retirement of chief, joined the sheriffs office to continue to serve the community he loved.
My uncle Rick was a very beloved man. He would have gotten poynter help had he had any idea this man was disturbed.
We are shell shocked and our hearts are broken. Uncle Rick was the favorite uncle, a mentor, a father, a grandfather, a husband to his high school sweetheart of 40 years, and a father figure to my cousins in place of their own lost father.
My aunt, 8 DAYS after loosing my uncle was PAYING it forward and helping a REAL iraq war veteran (having lost both legs and a hand) realize a dream by paying for 4 nights hotel for this brave man to see a football game on new years day.
2 days after loosing my uncle I was at Arlington national cemetery laying wreaths with wreaths across America because my uncle supported our veterans and active military. I am a fundraiser and active member of america's 911 foundation, a non profit serving all first responders.
9 days after my uncles death, a Christmas party took place for 112 foster children in my uncles honor.
While I'm angry, I will not direct my life in the direction of Martin poynter and his family, I will walk in my uncles legacy and pay it forward, as will the rest of my family.
Someone needs to make sure poynters children are ok, the ARMY needs to make sure those children are ok. They are the ones that will walk under the shadow of a murderer.
AJ
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry for you and your family. This is a terrible thing to move on from.
It is terrible that members of law enforcement have to ever find themselves facing off with a combat veteran but it happens all over the country. I read reports like this all the time and most do not end well.
What is left behind are families and friends grieving, trying to make sense out of what happened on both sides.
Your family members are all "givers" and that is a wonderful thing.
The men and women going into the military are also "givers" but too often too young to be able to just move on after being exposed to combat and this changes everything. Others are exposed so many times that it takes them over as well.
There are many suicides everyday and even more reach the point where death seems to be the only way to end their pain, but they call the Suicide Prevention Hotline or law enforcement, or a family member does. Most of the time it is because they didn't get the help they needed as soon as they needed it.
Sometimes they don't have the support of a close family or have gone so far over to the darkness of PTSD, they treat everyone badly. Other times, everyone is working together to help them heal. That is my family.
My husband is a Vietnam Vet and long ago I was faced with having to turn to law enforcement to keep him alive. I went to the police station and explained what was going on. I told the officer he didn't have any weapons and followed them back to my house. When they went to my husband, explained why they were there, he thanked them for showing up in time.
Other times, the men in crisis are already over the edge.
Then men like your uncle are forced to respond, forced to make a choice of shooting them or being shot.
The number of cases of veterans facing off with officers will keep going up and I pray things change in honor of men like your uncle killed in the line of duty by someone changed by theirs.
Here is another story that just happened. In this case the officer survived.
ReplyDeletehttp://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2011/12/another-iraq-veteran-kills-himself.html
My uncle never had a choice to shoot or be shot. He was arresting poynter on a child support warrant after responding to a trespassing call. He shot my uncle in the face while his head was turned talking into his radio. Poynter's brother witnessed everything. Martin poynters records indicate a dangerous, unstable, and violent individual. His family nor the army did anything about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm choosing not to read the article you posted (but thank you), instead I'm choosing to help those still here. With the help of a friend, 2 cars were donated today in my uncles memory to carsforustroops.org We are in the process of setting up a college scholarship fund in my uncles memory to help kids that might not be able to go without it.
I'm glad your husband was able to get the help he needed.
ReplyDelete