UPDATED: Murder Charges Filed Against Spc. Jermaine Johnson In Myria Silva' Murder:

A soldier with a medical support detachment from Mobile, Ala., who was serving at Fort Leonard Wood, has been charged with premeditated murder in the death of a fellow soldiers wife.

Investigators with the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Leonard Wood say that, Spc. Jermaine Johnson, who is an Army reserve EMT, allegedly attempted to deceive investigators by giving them false statements regarding the death of 23 year-old Myria Silva.

Uniform Code Of Military Justice charges against Johnson include; premeditated murder, kidnapping, sodomy, adultery, intent to deceive or provide false statements, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and obstructing justice.

Johnson, (who is from Iowa) 26, was arrested Oct. 14th at Fort Leonard Wood in connection with the death of Silva that authorities believe happened on or about Oct. 10th. Myria Silva's body was discovered on October 14th in a vacant farmhouse near Niangua in Webster County.

No details were released by the post about how Silva died.

Johnson was serving in Fort Leonard Wood’s General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital as a healthcare specialist.

Authorities in Webster County helped in the recovery of Myria Silva’s body Tuesday, Oct. 14, from a vacant farm near Plank School Road and Rifle Range Road north of Marshfield.

Within two days, they, and investigators with the Missouri Highway Patrol passed their cases over to the Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Leonard Wood when it was determined that a soldier was allegedly involved in Silva's murder.

If convicted of all charges, Johnson could receive the death penalty, or life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is being held in the Fort Knox Regional Confinement Facility in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Myria Silva was married to another Fort Leonard Wood soldier, Pfc. Benjamin (Benji) Silva, who was deployed to Iraq at the time of her murder. A friend of Myria's said that she told her not to tell Johnson her whereabouts if he came looking for her.

The court martial process against Spc. Jermaine Johnson, one of the highest forms of punishment within the military, has begun. He will be brought back from Kentucky to face the charges.

There is no bail allowed under military rule in cases such as these, therefore, Johnson will be held without bail as his case makes it's way through the legal system.

Note: Here is a good resource as far as questions about the court process within the military.

Link to Jermaine Johnson's MySpace page here.



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News Release From Fort Leonard Wood:

Seven charges were preferred Monday against the Soldier who is accused in the death of Myria Silva, 23, spouse of Pfc. Benjamin Silva, who is assigned to the 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood.

Charges against Spc. Jermaine Johnson include:

• Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 107 – Intent to deceive or provide false statements UCMJ,





• Article 118 – Premeditated Murder UCMJ, Article 125 – one specification of sodomy against Myria Silva UCMJ, Article 128 – one specification of assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm against Myria Silva UCMJ,





• Article 134 – one specification of adultery; one specification of kidnapping; and one specification of obstructing justice If convicted of all charges, the maximum punishment is life in prison without parole, or a death penalty.

Fort Leonard Wood officials emphasize that the charges constitute an accusation and that the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Johnson, 26, was arrested Oct. 14 by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Leonard Wood in connection with the death of Myria Silva on or about Oct. 10.Johnson, an Army reservist with the 7223 Medical Support Detachment 10 from Mobile, Ala., was serving in Fort Leonard Wood’s General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital as a health care specialist.

Jurisdiction of the case was passed to the Army Oct. 16th after an agreement was reached with Webster and Pulaski counties. Currently, Spc. Jermaine Johnson is being held in the Fort Knox Regional Confinement Facility.