Former Soldier Sentenced to 30 Years for 2001 Cold Case Murder of Pregnant Fellow Soldier

A pregnant 19-year-old soldier stationed at an American Army base in Germany, Pfc. Amanda Gonzales was murdered in 2001 by a former U.S. soldier named Shannon Wilkerson. Wilkerson has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. Earlier this year, a jury found Wilkerson guilty of second-degree murder, bringing justice to the case that had remained unresolved for over two decades.

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On November 5, 2001, Gonzales was discovered deceased in her quarters room at Fliegerhorst Kaserne, a U.S. Army base in Hanau, Germany. Strangulation was the cause of her mortality, which occurred when she was four months pregnant. The case remained unsolved for years as a result of a lack of concrete leads, although the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted numerous interviews and offered a reward exceeding $100,000.

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Court documents disclosed that Wilkerson, who was married to another soldier, harbored concerns regarding his paternity as the father of Gonzales' expectant child. Prosecutors contended that he was concerned that the pregnancy could endanger his military career and marriage. Wilkerson's conduct underwent a significant change shortly after the murder, as he transitioned to a more low-key, church-going lifestyle. Prosecutors hypothesized that this was an effort to circumvent suspicion.

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Wilkerson was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces at the time of the offense, but he was subsequently discharged, according to the Department of Justice. 

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The court's decision has ultimately provided Gonzales' family and the military community with closure, following decades of uncertainty. 

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