BOISE -- Five soldiers, including one from Boise, are charged with premeditated murder in the killings of three Afghan civilians earlier this year.
Private First Class Andrew Holmes, 19, of Boise, is one of those soldiers accused of murder. Holmes graduated from Centennial High School in 2008.
Charging papers released by the Army Tuesday allege that Stryker Brigade soldiers killed three Afghan civilians by throwing hand grenades and shooting them.
The allegations are made against Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs, Spc. Jeremy Morlock, and Pvt. 1st Class Andrew Holmes, all members of the 5th Stryker Brigade based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Gibbs and Morlock are charged with three counts of premeditated murder and Holmes is charged with one.
In addition, Spc. Michael Wagnon and Spc. Adam Winfield have been charged with one murder count each. Wagnon also is accused of trying to impede an investigation by asking another soldier to erase a computer hard drive that allegedly contained evidence.
Holmes, Wagnon, and Winfield were placed in pre-trial confinement Monday.
NewsChannel 7 spoke with a family friend who didn't know the details surrounding the incident, but said he's shocked by the news.
Greg Gilbert says he has known Andrew since he was a young kid and that the young soldier doesn't have a mean bone in his body.
He saw last Andrew about a month ago when he was home on leave. Gilbert said Holmes made no mention of the incident or any charges.
"I know Andy. He would never do anything without just cause. I don't know the specifics of the allegations but I'm sure that when truth comes to light he will be exonerated of everything,” said Gilbert. “His mother wanted me to make it known that he has constantly requested since May 26th legal counsel and has been denied legal counsel from the military. And she is very concerned about that. She has not been able to speak him, they've kept him sequestered, he hasn't been able to call home yet."
On Monday, Andrew Holmes was brought to the Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington state and was placed in pre-trial confinement.
The family spokesman says right now the Holmes family has no plans to visit Andrew -- they continue to wait on more information.
"A nice kid, I don't remember him being in trouble. He was a average student, pleasant, had a lot of friends and well-liked," said Centennial High School Principal Alta Graham.
Do you know Private First Class Andrew Holmes? If so, contact us at ktvbnews@ktvb.com.
All five soldiers are assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. The soldiers deployed to Afghanistan in July 2009.
Fort Lewis spokeswoman Lt. Col. Tamara Parker said the three separate murders happened between January and May in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar Province.
The brigade, which made its first deployment to Afghanistan in July, has seen heavy fighting against Taliban insurgents and suffered 33 combat-related deaths. Two others have died of illness and a third in a vehicular accident.
Parker said Gibbs was charged June 8 in Kuwait and is in transit to Lewis-McChord. Morlock was charged June 4. He and the other three soldiers are being confined at the base, as will Gibbs when he arrives.
The next step for the soldiers will be Article 32 hearings, similar to a grand jury. Officers to lead those proceedings have not yet been appointed and no dates for the hearings have been set, Parker said.
It could not be immediately determined whether defense counsel has been appointed for all five men.
If convicted, Holmes could receive the death penalty.
