Myles David Penix, 27, was shot once in the chest and killed at his residence on Lands End Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina, just before midnight on March 19, 2016. He was in a room with a known associate when the shooting occurred. Officers found him on the living room floor; the police initially described the incident as an accidental shooting but later charged Ryan Daniel Walker, 24, a fellow soldier from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg, with first-degree murder. Walker was processed into the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond.

Penix, originally from California, had served in the Navy before joining the Army. He was married and had a young child. Friends and fellow soldiers described him as dedicated and well respected. Witnesses said Penix and Walker were friends and had been at a party at Penix’s house and the neighboring residence that night, and that alcohol was involved. The investigation was ongoing into factors that may have contributed to the fatal encounter.

If anyone who knew Myles or was at the party that night has information that could help, please share what you know.