(KWKT) — 1st Cavalry Division commanding general Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Broadwater is speaking at 4:30 p.m. about the death of Sgt. Elder Fernandes.
The attorney for the Fernandes family confirmed Wednesday that Temple police found his body hanging from a tree along the railroad tracks west of South 49th Street Tuesday evening.
Investigators say identification found at the scene indicates the body is that of 23-year-old Sgt. Elder Fernandes. Police are waiting for forensic confirmation before making a positive identification.
olice say there is no indication of foul play, but caution that this is only the initial stage of the investigation.
Justice of the Peace Ted Duffield has ordered an autopsy.
Fernandes’ family traveled from their home in Brockton, Massachusetts to lead the search for him. His mother, Ailina, has not heard from him since Sunday.
She says her son was in the hospital for six days, saying only that he needed to “clear his mind.”
“I knew he had a lot of pressure on him from the Army people I know he does not want to be with the Army any longer, I know he was unhappy with them,” Ailina Fernandes said. “I know he was getting bullied inside the Army, and that’s all I know.”
Fort Hood confirmed Friday that Elder Fernandes had filed an abusive sexual conduct report against the Army before going missing. They say he was also transferred from a unit that was recently deployed to a different unit within the brigade.
More from MyHighPlains.com:
- State health department says teachers still not a priority for COVID-19 vaccine
- Senate Republican leader McConnell offers support for power-sharing deal with Democrats
- Protests after video shows police car driving through crowd of pedestrians in Washington state
- Teen missing in 1983 identified as victim of Green River Killer
- GoPro found after 6 years at the bottom of Honolulu ocean returned to owner
