Fort Bliss soldier charged with murder, stalking in wife’s death on Army post

A Fort Bliss soldier was formally charged with murder in connection with his wife’s death, military officials said Monday.

Sgt. Lance E. Colbert is accused of killing Staff Sgt. Amy Colbert on April 6 on Fort Bliss, officials said. Amy Colbert was promoted posthumously from the rank of sergeant.

Lance Colbert was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice with murder, communicating threats, stalking and indecent language, Fort Bliss officials said.

Details on the charges have not been released. Lance Colbert has been in military custody since last week.

Amy Colbert, 27, was the mother of two girls and had just returned from her second combat deployment.

An obituary under her maiden name, Contreras, stated that she was from Winnemucca, Nevada. In 2011, She joined the U.S. Army, a year after graduating from high school.

She completed two combat tours, the first in Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013. She had returned on March 31 from an eight-month deployment in Kuwait,  a week before her death, according to military officials.

She was a heavy vehicle operator for the Army, but was recently working as a chemical equipment repairer. She was assigned to the 504th Quartermaster Company, 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade.

Lance Colbert was also a heavy vehicle driver. He enlisted in 2012 and was assigned to the 377th Transportation Company, 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 and 2014.