Army names 2 in reopened electrocution cases - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Army names 2 in reopened electrocution cases

Army criminal investigators have released the names of two soldiers involved in the three additional electrocution death cases that had been initially ruled as accidents.

The service’s Criminal Investigation Command reopened the cases of Spc. Chase R. Whitham and Sgt. Christopher Lee Everett in January along with a third soldier’s case, whose identity has not been released.

“The third soldier’s identification is not being released at this time due to notification of next of kin,” CID spokesman Chris Grey said in a statement Monday. “We have notified some family members that we have reopened the case, but are having trouble locating and notifying the primary next of kin who is out of the country at this time. This is not a new case.”

The Army announced the status change of the three additional cases Friday, which follow the reopening of the case of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, an Army Special Forces soldier who died Jan. 2, 2008, when he was electrocuted in his barracks shower in Baghdad.

In addition to these four Army cases, Naval Criminal Investigative Service has also reopened the probe into the Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class (FMF) David Cedergren, who died Sept. 11, 2004, in an outdoor shower at Forward Operating Base Iskandariyah, Iraq.

The five cases are among the 18 questionable electrocution deaths of troops that occurred between 2003 and 2008.

Results of Maseth’s investigation are not complete, but his family was notified in December that Maseth's death, initially listed as “accidental,” was now considered “negligent homicide,” The Associated Press reported.

Army CID would not comment on this, saying that the investigation is still ongoing, Grey said.

Whitham, who was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, was electrocuted while swimming in a pool with other soldiers May 8, 2004, in Mosul, Iraq. His case was initially ruled as an accident in August 2004.

Everett, who was assigned to the Army Reserve’s B Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th Armor, was electrocuted while operating a power washer Sept. 8, 2005, in Taqaddum, Iraq. His case was initially ruled an accident in December 2005.

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