Man Charged in Gay Sailor’s Murder

The U.S. Navy has stated a fellow seaman has been charged with murder and of August Provost III, the gay Navy member who was shot to death Camp Pendleton on June 30. We are still waiting for the name of the suspect to be released.

Provost’s family believes the shooting may have been a hate crime, as they claim that Provost complained of harassment about his sexuality just days before his murder, but Navy officials are rejecting the family’s claims as they assert there is no record of Provost filing a report with the Navy about harassment. The family has stated however that Provost was afraid to file a complaint as it may endanger him from being discharged under the current “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.

Provost was 29 and worked on hovercrafts. A Navy spokesman described him as a rising star earlier this month.

Gay Sailor Found Dead at Pendleton Guard Shack

Two “persons of interest” were initially detained in the case, but one has since been released, said Capt. Matt Brown, director of public affairs for Navy Region Southwest. (Examiner.com)

The preceding is an update to the story previously shown below:

A person was being held in connection with the suspected homicide of a 29-year-old sailor who was found in a Camp Pendleton guard shack, Navy officials said yesterday.

The body of Seaman August Provost of Houston was discovered about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday on the western edge of the base, said Doug Sayers, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest.

An autopsy was completed yesterday, but authorities were waiting for results of toxicology tests to determine the cause of death.

A “person of interest” was being held in the brig at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. No charges have been filed.

Read the rest at: SignonSanDiego.com