The soldier was found dead in her Tennessee home near an Army post in May 2024 with nearly 70 stab wounds, according to an autopsy report.
MESQUITE, Texas — A grand jury has indicted two people in connection with the murder last year of a North Texas soldier who was stationed in Kentucky, officials say.
Katia Duenas-Aguilar, 23, of Mesquite, was found dead in her Tennessee home near an Army post in May 2024 with nearly 70 stab wounds, according to an autopsy report. Duenas-Aguilar was a 2018 graduate of North Mesquite High School.
Dueñas-Aguilar, an information technology specialist, enlisted in the Army in 2018 and a year later came to Fort Campbell, on the Tennessee-Kentucky border. She was a member of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
Her mother and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) last year announced a reward totaling $55,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Now, the Clarksville Police Department in Tennessee announced a grand jury indicted two people in connection with Duenas-Aguilar’s murder, including her husband.
Clarksville Police say Sofia Rodas, 35, was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence and Reynaldo Salinas Cruz, 40, the husband of Katia Duenas Aguilar, was charged with tampering with evidence.
At the time of their indictment, both Rodas and Cruz were already in federal custody on unrelated charges, not directly associated with the investigation into Duenas-Aguilar’s murder, police say.
They were extradited to Clarksville Feb. 7 and served with their sealed indictments at the Montgomery County Jail, police said in a statement.
It’s unclear whether the two who were indicted were also members of the military. No other details were immediately available.
Police say the case remains open and the investigation into the incident remains active.
“The successful progression of this case highlights the critical partnership between local law enforcement and military authorities in addressing severe crimes that impact service members and their families,” Clarksville Police said in a statement.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Hofinga at 931-648-0656 or the Clarksville Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Tipsline at 931-645-8477 to remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward. Those with information can also submit a tip at P3tips.com/591.
