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Posted on Mon, Nov. 10, 2003

Dead soldier was from Missouri, officials say
Coroner says man stabbed several times
BY MURIEL TAN
Staff Writer

A Fort Benning-based soldier whose remains were found Friday afternoon in a wooded area off Milgen Road was identified Sunday as a 25-year-old specialist from St. Charles, Mo.

Richard Thomas Davis of the 3rd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division had arrived for basic training at Fort Benning in January 2002, said a spokesperson for the post Sunday night. He graduated in April 2002 and had been assigned to the 3rd Brigade since.

On Friday, investigators with Fort Benning's Criminal Investigation Division discovered Davis' remains in a wooded area along the 4400 block of Milgen Road, lying beneath a cluster of wood planks and some leaves. Police have released no details on the case, other than to say that Davis had been dead for at least a month and appeared to have been killed near the wooded area. Autopsy results returned over the weekend indicated that he died of multiple stab wounds, Muscogee County Coroner James Dunnavant said.

A few hours after the early afternoon discovery, three soldiers linked to Davis' death were transported to the Muscogee County Jail after being held at military police headquarters. Columbus police have charged each with one count of murder. They are identified as: Douglas Woodcoff, 24, of B Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment; Mario Navarrette, 24, of Watkins Avenue; and Jacob Burgoyne, 24, address unavailable. The soldiers' ranks and the units for Navarette and Burgoyne were also not available.

Police have not said if they are looking for any other suspects in the death. The three suspects are scheduled to appear at an 8 a.m. hearing today in Recorder's Court.