Two Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 6 are reportedly “persons of interest” in the investigation to determine who strangled and killed an Army Green Beret in Mali, West Africa, in June.

The New York Times first reported on Sunday that Navy criminal authorities are looking into whether or not two members of SEAL Team 6 strangled and killed Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar while in Africa on a secret assignment, according to the Times’ sources, which it cited as military officials.

The incident is highly suspicious, and no one has been charged yet in the soldier’s death, which was ruled to be “homicide by asphyxiation,” or strangulation, according to The New York Times. Two unidentified Navy SEALs were flown out of Mali and placed on administrative leave “shortly after the episode.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -



Melgar, who was 34 years old, had served two tours in Afghanistan. He joined the Army in 2012 and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

He was found dead on June 4 in embassy housing in Bamako that he shared with other Special Operations forces assigned in the same area, including two members from SEAL Team 6.

The revelation brings additional scrutiny to West Africa, an area where U.S. troops are deployed to help with training and counterterrorism – but also an area that has been under fire recently after events have officials wanting to know more details about why U.S. troops are in Africa in the first place.

Recently, four U.S. service members – Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, also from the 3rd Special Forces Group – were killed on Oct. 4 in Niger, West Africa, when their 12-person team was ambushed.

The fatal attack has brought to light many aspects of that particular situation, including how terrorists knew intelligence about the troops’ location, and why it took an hour for air support to arrive.

The New York Times on Oct. 29 also reported: