WAYNESVILLE, Mo. — An Army specialist has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the premeditated murder of a fellow soldier at Fort Leonard Wood.
A military jury found Spc. Wooster Rancy, 22, guilty Tuesday of killing Sgt. Sarah Roque, 23, whose body was found inside a garbage bag in a dumpster behind the barracks where she lived. Rancy was also convicted of obstructing justice.
Sgt. Sarah Roque
A military judge on Thursday sentenced Rancy to life in prison without parole, reduced him to the rank of E-1, ordered total forfeiture of pay and allowances, and issued a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
Roque was reported missing Oct. 21, 2024, after she failed to report for morning formation. Her body was discovered later that evening, investigators said. She had been shot in the head, and the garbage bag had been sealed with a zip tie.
Investigators with the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI said evidence showed Rancy purchased heavy-duty trash bags and zip ties from a Walmart in Waynesville the morning before Roque was reported missing. Cell phone data indicated both Rancy and Roque were inside her apartment for about an hour on the morning of Oct. 20.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that Rancy conducted internet searches about trash disposal timelines and Fort Leonard Wood’s garbage pickup schedule.
Wooster Rancy
During a search of Roque’s apartment, investigators found a bullet lodged inside a banana in the refrigerator. Forensic testing later confirmed the bullet was fired from a gun recovered at Rancy’s off-post apartment, authorities said.
A witness testified during the trial that he found Roque’s cellphone while dumpster diving near Rancy’s off-post residence.
“This case was an important step toward justice for Sgt. Sarah Roque and her family,” Lt. Col. John Haberland, circuit chief for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement.
Haberland credited coordination among Army investigators, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and Fort Leonard Wood emergency services for the conviction.
Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of Army CID’s Midcentral Field Office said the sentencing sends a clear message about accountability within the military justice system.
“While no ruling can bring back Sgt. Sarah Roque or restore what was stolen from her loved ones, this sentencing brings accountability for this senseless act of violence,” McCabe said.
Rancy, who is from North Miami, Florida, will serve his sentence at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The trial was held off-post at the Pulaski County Courthouse. The case was investigated by Army CID and the FBI and prosecuted by the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR – OzarksFirst.com.
