Sgt. Elder Fernandes: A 23-Year-Old Soldier From Fort Hood Has Gone Missing

Authorities say the Latino soldier has been missing for a few days and was last seen by a fellow sergeant.

Another Latino Fort Hood soldier has been missing since Monday. The Killeen Police Department, in Texas, reports that 23-year-old Sgt. Elder Fernandes was last seen on Aug. 17 when his staff sergeant dropped him off at home that afternoon. Two days later, his family reported him missing to authorities. 

Fort Hood released the following statement: “Our primary concern is for his health and well-being. We have completed a search of the entire division area, to include motorpools, parking lots, and headquarters buildings and the unit is in contact with the Soldiers Family, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and civilian law enforcement agencies to help find him as we continue our search.” 

According to Fort Hood officials, Sgt. Fernandes is a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade.

Anyone with information should contact the Fort Hood Military Police at (254) 288-1170, U.S. Army CID at (254) 287-2722, or the Killeen Police Department at (254) 200-7905. 

This latest investigation is the most recent in a string of turbulent events at Fort Hood. Several soldiers have been arrested for their involvement in a prostitution ring this year. And the base has been marred by several deaths with the most recent being Sgt. Bradley Moore, 36, who died on Aug. 13 during a training exercise at the Texas base. He was the ninth soldier Fort Hood soldier to die since March. 

These are the other eight soldiers who’ve lost their lives at Fort Hood since March alone:

• Mar. 1: Spc. Shelby Jones, 20, was shot and killed at a strip club near Fort Hood.  
• Mar. 5: Spc. Christopher Sawyer, 29, was found unresponsive in his on-post residence. 
• Mar. 14: Spc. Freddy Delacruz Jr., 23, was among three victims found dead of gunshot wounds at an off-base apartment complex.
• Apr. 22: Spc. Vanessa Guillén, 20, was reported missing after working in one of the regiment’s arms room. Her remains were found weeks later. A fellow soldier who was a suspect in her killing shot himself when confronted by local police. 
• May 18: Pfc. Brandon Rosecrans, 27, was found dead from a gunshot wound near his burning Jeep, about 13 miles from the base.
• Jun. 19: Pvt. Gregory Morales, 24. His skeletal remains were found off base, and foul play is suspected.
• Jul. 17: Pvt. Mejhor Morta, 27. His body was found unresponsive by a group of fishermen in the vicinity of Stillhouse Lake. Drowning is suspected, but the investigation is ongoing. 
• Aug. 2: Spc. Francisco Gilberto Hernandez-Vargas, 24. His body was recovered after a boating incident on Stillhouse Hollow Lake, which is 15 miles from Fort Hood.