Husband Held In Female Soldier's Stabbing

Authorities Also Charge 2nd Man Who Was Allegedly Hired To Kill The Woman In N.C.

(AP)  The husband of a female soldier found stabbed to death near her home was arrested Friday and charged with murder along with a second man authorities say was hired to kill the woman.

The death of 29-year-old Sgt. Christina E. Smith was the third off-post killing of a Fort Bragg servicewoman in four months, stunning a tight military community that was still seeking to come to grips with the earlier deaths.

"For me, I was thinking, 'No, gosh, not another one,"' said Fayetteville police spokeswoman Theresa Chance.

Sgt. Richard Smith, 26, was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, Chance said. Pfc. Mathew Kvapil, 18, faces the same charges, and Chance said he was hired by Smith to kill the wife as the couple walked together Tuesday evening.

An initial hearing was scheduled for Monday for both soldiers. Officials said they didn't know if either man had been appointed an attorney yet.

Police divers were searching in a creek about a mile from the crime scene for the murder weapon.

The military said the Army Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Bragg also was investigating, but "no military actions have yet been determined."

Smith, who was treated for minor injuries, initially reported that an attacker had stabbed his wife in the neck and fled as the soldier ran after him. Neighbors said they heard a woman screaming and saw Christina Smith in a pool of blood.

Fort Bragg officials said the Smiths were both assigned to an Army special operations unit. She was a graphics illustrator in Company A, 5th Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group. She is survived by her husband and her parents, Katherine and Steven Loehrke of Mount Orab, Ohio, the Army added.

Smith's death follows the killings of Spc. Megan Touma, 23, and 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, 24. In the previous cases, the female soldiers were killed off post under different circumstances.

Touma, who was seven months pregnant, was found dead in June in a Fayetteville motel bathtub. Sgt. Edgar Patino, 27, the father of the unborn child, was charged with her death on July 29.

On July 10, Wimunc was reported missing from her apartment. The Army nurse's body was found three days later by crews fighting a brush fire near North Carolina's Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base.

Wimunc's estranged husband, Marine Cpl. John Wimunc of Camp Lejeune, was arrested July 14. Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden was charged with aiding John Wimunc by destroying evidence and providing a false alibi.

"We have domestic violence issues like every other city," Chance said. "Obviously the military seems to be targeted lately."

[hamiltongrad]

When these things happen we have we need to be creful not to rush to judgment. We do not know the full circumstances of their relationship, the stress and possible mental abuse that generated a response. I am not saying that this is right, but when a woman kills a spouse most times there is a measure of compassion, and an attempt to find out why that person went off the deep end. This is no different. We need to understand before we can blame.

[kaylag04]

those drawn to the 82nd Airborne Division & Delta Force are not nerds & tree huggers
in fact they are the aggressive military ninja warrior types so there should be no surprise when they commit assault & battery, murder etc.
it is part of their macho / bravado personality

Posted by twomtns

Wow - things HAVE changed; when I was in the 82d, there were Deadheads, graphic artists, dog trainers, bass fishermen, car collectors, etc...

What years were YOU in the 82d Airborne, twomtns?

[twomtns]

those drawn to the 82nd Airborne Division & Delta Force are not nerds & tree huggers
in fact they are the aggressive military ninja warrior types so there should be no surprise when they commit assault & battery, murder etc.
it is part of their macho / bravado personality

[smurfcrusher]

"She was a graphics illustrator in Company A, 5th Battalion, 4th Psychological Operations Group."

In other words, a professional liar / propagandist "just following orders".

No wonder the world hates us.

[missingamerica]

Desert Storm was nearly 18 years ago, when the accused murderer in this crime was approximately one-year old. I deployed to Desert Shield/Storm from Fort Bragg in 1990; none of our 1-year old privates were given anti-maleria medication. They had to be at least 2.

Posted by KaylaG04 at 03:29 AM : Oct 04, 2008

They grow up faster these days.

[mydiatribe]

1)Fayetteville, North Carolina is an armpit Army town!
2)Ft. Bragg is a training base for paid professional killers, i.e the 82nd Airborne Division & Delta Force.
3)18 years old is young to be dealing with the continuous multiple combat deployments which these soldiers must endure.
4)Adequate psychological debriefing & profiling is
less than ideal for these teturning soldiers. I.E. any family members, disgruntled wives are at risk.
5) In short: plenty of room here for improvements.

[bb19631]

What is up with Fort Bragg , NC? That Fort has seen to many murders and violence. The Army really needs to handle this increasing violence. The soldiers are being deployed to much, its a strain on the soldier and his spouse. The soldiers are not coming home right mentally. They snap and go on a spouse killing spree. I hope we don''t get transferred there!

[kaylag04]

There is a part left out of this story, the Fort Bragg murders were initially considered to result from side effects of an anti-malaria drug called "Laruim" made by Roche Pharmaceuticals.
This drug was administered to soldiers going to "Desert Storm"...Posted by brianbwb at 08:21 PM : Oct 03, 2008

Desert Storm was nearly 18 years ago, when the accused murderer in this crime was approximately one-year old. I deployed to Desert Shield/Storm from Fort Bragg in 1990; none of our 1-year old privates were given anti-maleria medication. They had to be at least 2.

[dronemonk]

Maybe the courts will go easy on him because he''s a widower?

[dronemonk]

"She is survived by her husband"

HA! A little gravedigger humor there, eh?

[wl7bzh]

One look at the guys face and she couldn''t sense something was not right-Yeesh!

[brianbwb-2009]

There is a part left out of this story, the Fort Bragg murders were initially considered to result from side effects of an anti-malaria drug called "Laruim" made by Roche Pharmaceuticals.

This drug was administered to soldiers going to "Desert Storm", even though the medicine is known to induce severe depression, hallucinations, delusions, nightmares, and psychotic behavior, an effect that continues even after the medication is no longer being administered, and is documented on the medicine''s brochure, and on the packaging.

[simplemind2]

It appeared that the third person - a.k.a. Mathew Kvapil, 18 conspired with the victim''s husband - Richard D. Smith, 26 to murder Richard''s wife - Christina Smith.
Poor woman - she didn''t even stand a chance to fight back.
This case manifests the heinous nature of both thugs'' crime.
I like to see both of the perpetrators receive the death sentence once they get convicted.

[babooph]

The young seem to sometimes confuse the army concept of killing to resolve problems & the personal resolutions-are they trained in the vast difference?

[jamesetling4]

Some young husbands honestly believe that they are entitled to conjugal rights on a daily basis. When they finally conclude that such conjugal rights are going to be respected by their dear wives only on a montly basis, the overall reaction is usually negative and can sometimes lead to vindictive actions.

[questionnews]

Another guy who thinks he can O.J. himself out of jam.

[myopinion1]

I will never understand why the person has to MURDER the other person. Just try LEAVING THEM. It''s not like you''re going to get away with it.