Manslaughter charge in Fort Lewis girl's death

The Army has charged a 19-year-old soldier from Indiana in the fatal drug overdose of a 16-year-old girl at a Fort Lewis barracks.


FORT LEWIS, Wash. —

The Army has charged a 19-year-old soldier from Indiana in the fatal drug overdose of a 16-year-old girl at a Fort Lewis barracks.

Pvt. Timothy E. Bennitt, a heavy construction equipment operator from Rolling Prairie, Ind., faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, wrongful use and distribution of controlled substances, and conspiracy to use controlled substances. He is assigned to the 555th Engineer Brigade.

The girl, Leah King, a high school sophomore from Lakewood, had been dating Bennitt for about a month, officials said. She was found dead in the barracks early on Feb. 15. Another 16-year-old girl was found unconscious and eventually recovered. Army pathologists and investigators determined that King overdosed on an antidepressant marketed as Xanax and a painkiller called oxymorphone, some of which she had apparently inhaled after the pills were crushed.

Army officials said Bennitt, 19, is also under investigation for distributing drugs to other soldiers, including oxycodone and marijuana, and taking drugs himself. If convicted of all charges he could face up to 82 years in confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a dishonorable discharge.

The charges against him will be presented to an investigating officer in an Article 32 hearing, the equivalent of a civilian grand jury, and that officer will recommend whether to proceed with a court martial.

King's death revealed that many juveniles from the area enter Fort Lewis with soldiers to attend parties. In response, the base changed its procedures to require all minors to be signed in at the Fort Lewis visitor center, and to deny access to those who do not appear to have a legitimate reason for being on base. Officials also increased the number of random checks they do of cars entering the base to ensure minors aren't entering the post inappropriately.

Bennitt entered the Army in June 2007 and reported to Fort Lewis that December, after training at Fort Sill, Okla., and Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He has not deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.