---
title: "Soldier found dead in Fort Meade barracks"
description: "A soldier was pronounced dead in his room on April 10 at Fort Meade, Maryland. No foul play or self-harm is suspected."
date: "2024-04-12"
modified: "2024-04-12"
authors:
  - name: "Jeff Schogol"
    job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol.md"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-meade-soldier-identified/"
categories:
  - "Army"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "death"
---

# Soldier found dead in Fort Meade barracks

![Folded flag](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/07/Army-Flag-Being-Folded.jpg>)
*FILE: Soldiers fold the American flag while performing the daily flag retirement detail on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Justin Connaher/U.S. Air Force)*

Army Pfc. Paul-Anthony Varner, 25, was pronounced dead in the Freedom Barracks at Fort Meade, Maryland, on Wednesday after being found unresponsive, a base news release says.

Originally from San Antonio, Varner was an intelligence analyst assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 741st Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade at Fort Meade.

[**Subscribe to Task & Purpose**](<https://link.taskandpurpose.com/join/79r/signup-task-purpose>) **today. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.**

Varner was pronounced dead in his room at 10:33 a.m. on Wednesday following a 911 call.

No information was immediately available about what may have caused Varner’s death.

Both Military Police Investigation and the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division responded to the scene after Varner was found unresponsive.

“While no indications of self-harm or foul play were initially evident, CID has assumed responsibility for the investigation,” the news release says.

## The latest on Task & Purpose

- **Former Army base warns of** [**grenades**](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/fort-ord-grenades-trails.md>) **on local trails**
- **‘**[**Black Hawk Down**](<https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/black-hawk-down-somalia-ranger-silver-star.md>)**’ Ranger veteran awarded Silver Star**
- **The Air Force’s new $60 million Special Warfare center honors a** [**fallen pararescueman**](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-special-warfare-aquatic.md>)
- **Former Air National Guardsman may have** [**defected**](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-national-guard-russia.md>) **to Russia**
- [**Marine battalion commander**](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-battalion-commander-fired.md>) **fired for “loss of trust and confidence”**

## Author
Jeff Schogol is the former senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reported on both the Department of Defense as a whole and individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jdschogol/>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schogol-188a9317/>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JeffSchogol>)

## More

- [Female soldier and family found dead in Fort Stewart home](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/family-found-dead-fort-stewart.md>)
- [Army paratrooper found dead in his barracks at Fort Bragg](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/terrance-salazar-dies-fort-bragg.md>)
- [US soldier in South Korea pronounced dead after being found unresponsive](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/soldier-jaggert-oakes-south-korea-barracks.md>)
- [Marine studying at Marine Corps University found dead](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-university-student-dead.md>)
- [Man found unresponsive on Guam base pronounced dead](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/guam-airman-dead.md>)
- [Marine found dead at Marine Corps University identified](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-university-student-identified.md>)
- [A Suspect Is In Custody After An Airman Was Found Dead In Guam](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/a-suspect-is-in-custody-after-an-airman-was-found-dead-in-guam.md>)
- [Army identifies infantryman found dead at Fort Bliss](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-bailey-dead-fort-bliss.md>)
