Murder of Logan Melgar

On June 04, 2017, Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar, a U.S. Army Green Beret, was found dead from asphyxiation in U.S. embassy housing in Mali, where he resided with other US Special Forces members. Investigations later determined his death stemmed from either an attempt to conceal theft and corruption by his killers or a botched hazing incident.^[1][2]

Logan Melgar
Born	(1983-05-12)May 12, 1983 Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Died	June 4, 2017(2017-06-04) (aged 34) Bamako, Mali
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Years of service	2012–2017
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Unit	2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group

Initial investigation

Shortly after Melgar’s death, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) identified two Navy SEAL Team Six members as persons of interest. They were removed from Mali and placed on administrative leave.^[3][4]

By February 2018, the investigation expanded into a comprehensive internal military audit of SEAL Team Six, focusing on the SEALs’ conflicting accounts of Melgar’s death. Two Marine Raiders were also implicated as accomplices. The suspects claimed Melgar was intoxicated, but toxicology reports detected no drugs or alcohol in his system. Investigators noted mutilation to Melgar’s throat and upper body, likely from a failed tracheotomy. The suspects claimed they found Melgar unconscious and not breathing, and so they attempted an emergency tracheotomy. However, sources alleged the tracheotomy was performed long after Melgar’s death as a cover-up to suggest the perpetrators tried to save him.^[5] One SEAL later admitted Melgar was choked during a hazing attempt gone wrong.

The investigation revealed the SEALs and Raiders planned to strangle Melgar until he lost consciousness, bind him, and record a sexual assault to humiliate him.^[6]

Motivations for the murder

Five special operators serving with Melgar alleged he discovered the two SEALs and two Raiders stealing funds intended for paying local informants. The group reportedly used the money to, among other things, hire prostitutes, purchase diamonds, and support other illicit activities. They then offered Melgar a share of the money, but he refused. The four then planned to blackmail Melgar into silence by recording him being sexually assaulted by a Malian man. All four denied these accusations.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][5]}

Instead, the Navy Seals and Raiders claimed they attacked Melgar because he abandoned them en route to an embassy party that they were all supposed to go to. They claimed that Melgar purposely drove past them in a city prone to terrorist activity. Admitting they were drinking and bar-hopping that night, they claimed their intent was to teach Melgar a lesson by filming him in a compromising sexual situation with a naked Malian man, not to kill him.^[13][14][15]

Charges and legal proceedings

Testimony and reports indicated six to seven individuals were involved, including the two SEALs, two Raiders, an unnamed British service member, and one or two Malian security guards.^[16][15]In November 2018, four individuals were charged with felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, burglary, conspiracy to commit assault and battery, obstruction of justice, making false statements, and hazing:^{[17][18][19][20]}

• Navy Seals from DEVGRU: Chief Petty Officers Anthony E. DeDolph and Adam C. Matthews.
• Marine Raiders: Gunnery Sgt. Mario Madera-Rodriguez and Staff Sgt. Kevin Maxwell Jr.^[2][21]

Matthews and Maxwell testified that DeDolph, a former 0-1-0 professional MMA fighter, was the ringleader.^[22] DeDolph got them all to agree to choke Melgar unconscious, bind him with duct tape, and have the British service member record a Malian security guard sexually assaulting him. The group broke into Melgar’s room using a sledgehammer. When Melgar then woke up, DeDolph applied a guillotine choke while Matthews restrained his legs. Maxwell and Madera-Rodriguez simultaneously wrapped Melgar in duct tape. Sources also alleged Melgar was forcibly sodimized with a broomstick during the attack. Despite resisting, Melgar stopped breathing and was strangled to death by DeDolph, who broke Melgar’s hyoid bone during the chokehold.^{[5][14][23][13]}

Madera-Rodriguez claimed his role was limited to breaking in and playing loud music as a distraction, though prosecutors accused him of participating in the actual duct-taping of Melgar.^[24][13]

Matthews and Maxwell alleged DeDolph sought and received approval for the break-in from Green Beret Sgt. First Class Jamie Morris, Melgar’s supervisor. Matthews testified that DeDolph woke Morris, who gave permission before returning to sleep. Maxwell corroborated this claim. However, DeDolph denied involving Morris, and Morris himself rejected any knowledge of or approval for the plan. No charges were filed against Morris, and his name had not appeared in court filings until Matthews and Maxwell mentioned him during their plea deals.^[13]

Aftermath

Logan Melgar is survived by his wife of ten years, Michelle Melgar, and their two sons, Jackson and Tyler.^[25]

After the murder and his guilty plea, Matthews encountered Michelle Melgar at a Las Vegas party. Using a fake name, he flirted, danced with her, exchanged numbers, and asked to accompany her to her room. She declined, but not before Matthews claimed the men who killed her husband were “good guys.”^[26][27]

Morris, though never charged, faced severe consequences from the Army’s “titling” process, which listed murder and other charges on his record after Matthews and Maxwell’s claims. This led to career stagnation, forced retirement 18 months shy of a full pension, and difficulty securing employment. As of 2024, Morris, represented pro bono by attorney Jeffrey Addicott, is fighting to clear his record, reinstate his military status, restore his lost promotion to Master Sergeant, and secure his retirement benefits.^[13]

Sentences and legal outcomes

On May 17, 2019, Matthews pleaded guilty, agreed to testify against the others, and was sentenced to one year in military prison, a rank reduction to E-5, and a bad conduct discharge.^[28][14] After serving his sentence, Matthews became a co-owner and “Director of Special Projects” for a private defense organization, providing “strategic solutions to some of the world’s most complex and dangerous problems.”^[29]

On June 07, 2019, Maxwell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 4 years in prison, a rank reduction to Private (E-1), and a bad conduct discharge.^[28] He received a reduced three-year sentence for cooperating and identifying DeDolph as the ringleader.^[14]

On January 23, 2021, DeDolph pleaded guilty and was initially sentenced to 10 years in detention.^[30] The sentence was overturned on appeal due to the prosecution’s failure to disclose Maxwell’s reduced sentence deal. On June 27, 2024, DeDolph was resentenced to 18 months confinement, a reduction to E-4, and a bad conduct discharge.^[31]

On July 01, 2021, Madera-Rodriguez pleaded not guilty, but was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit assault and battery, conspiracy to obstruct justice, hazing, and making false statements.^[32] He received a reprimand, a reduction to E-1, 90 days of hard labor without confinement, six months of confinement, but no punitive discharge.^[14]

See also

• Bullying in the military
• Military abuse