Shannon L. Wilkerson, a former U.S. soldier, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the brutal murder of a pregnant fellow soldier on a U.S. Army base in Germany over 22 years ago.
A jury in Pensacola, Florida, found Wilkerson, 44, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Amanda Gonzales.
According to court documents, Wilkerson beat and strangled Gonzales to death on Nov. 3, 2001, in her barracks room at Fliegerhorst Kaserne, then a U.S. Army base in Hanau, Germany.
Evidence introduced at trial indicated that Wilkerson feared he was the father of Gonzales’ unborn child and that her pregnancy would interfere with his military career and his marriage to another soldier on the base.
Wilkerson was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces at the time of the offense but was later discharged.
The sentencing comes after a decades-long investigation and prosecution, demonstrating the unwavering resolve of law enforcement partners to obtain justice for victims and their families.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri said, ‘Shannon Wilkerson brutally murdered Amanda Gonzales, a fellow soldier who Wilkerson knew was pregnant at the time.’
U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody for the Northern District of Florida added, ‘The murder of Amanda Gonzales and her unborn child was a horrific act of violence.’
Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division said, ‘Justice for victims is not just a promise, it’s a commitment, no matter how long it takes.’
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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