Woman charged with Intent to Murder U.S. Army Sergeant

A Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., woman was charged in federal court with assaulting a U.S. Army Sergeant with the intent to commit murder.

Katara R. Hamilton, 30, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield on October 5, 2022.  The federal criminal complaint charges Hamilton with assault with the intent to commit murder on the Fort Leonard Wood U.S. Army Installation. 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Hamilton’s former spouse, who is an active duty army soldier, called 911 shortly before 11:00 p.m. on October 4, 2022, to report that Hamilton was at his residence, carrying a handgun, and demanding to see their seven-year-old child.  The 911 dispatch operator noted she could hear a female voice yelling in the background, and the 911 call lasted approximately six minutes before the line disconnected. 

At approximately 11:04 p.m., an active duty military police officer arrived at a nearby residence.  The officer heard a gunshot and then ran towards the sound of the gunshot.  When the officer arrived at the residence, he noted that Hamilton was standing in the driveway with a handgun in her hand, and her former spouse was heard yelling, “help me, I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot!”  While the officer ordered Hamilton to the ground to handcuff her, her former spouse was lying on the ground in the driveway with an apparent gunshot wound to his left shoulder area. 

The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Kelleher. It was investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command.