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Staff Sgt. Brandon A. Amos-Dixon, a culinary specialist assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of another soldier based at Fort Bragg, military and police officials said.

Staff Sgt. Jimmy Lee Smith III, 24, was killed on Jan. 18 in Raeford, North Carolina. He was serving as a culinary specialist assigned to the Group Support Battalion for 3rd Special Forces Group at the time of his death.

First responders found Smith unresponsive and were unable to revive him, according to a recent message on the Facebook page of the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.

Detectives ultimately identified Amos-Dixon as the suspect in Smith’s death and filed first-degree murder warrants against Amos-Dixon on March 17, the Facebook message said.  The Virginia State Police had already arrested Amos-Dixon on Jan. 19 after a pursuit that lasted for several hours.

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No information was immediately available on why law enforcement officials believe Amos-Dixon killed Smith.

Staff Sgt. Jimmy Lee Smith III
Army Staff Sgt. Jimmy Lee Smith III, 24, was killed on Jan. 18, 2023. (Army photo.)

Roughly 90 minutes before Smith was found dead of gunshot wounds, Amos-Dixon was allegedly involved in another shooting incident that took place in Harnett County, North Carolina, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

Amos-Dixon is accused of firing several shots into a car with his fiancé and her daughter  inside, said Harnett County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Joseph Webb. The incident occurred at the home he shared with his fiancé, who was wounded as she drove away.

The Harnett County Sheriff’s office has charged Amos-Dixon with two counts of attempted murder, assault by strangulation, and related offenses in connection with that incident, Webb told Task & Purpose.

Amos-Dixon is still being held in Virginia and the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office has applied for a governor’s warrant to extradite him back to North Carolina, Webb said.

U.S. Army Special Operations Command, or USASOC, issued a statement on Thursday saying it is aware of the charges against Amos-Dixon.

“We condemn these alleged actions in the strongest possible manner,” the statement says. “Amos-Dixon is a culinary specialist assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He joined the Army in July 2015. We will continue to work with authorities as necessary. Charges do not reflect values to which the overwhelming majority of our soldiers abide by.”

USASOC said that it also continues to mourn the death of Smith, who joined the Army in 2016 and was later assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group in March 2020. 

Smith deployed to Jordan in 2020 and his military awards include the Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and Army Good Conduct Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

“We lost an incredible soldier and teammate to an act of senseless violence,” Thursday’s statement from USASOC says.  “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Staff Sgt. Jimmy Lee Smith III and his loved ones, as well as others who were injured in this incident.”

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