Without Fear, Without Favour, The Truth will be KNOWN.........
Chris Kyle, who was shot to death Saturday, was a retired Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History." / Paul Moseley/McClatchy-Tribune
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER MUST BE RECOGNISED IN SOUTH AFRICA
By Jamie Stengle and Christopher Sherman
Chris Kyle, who was shot to death Saturday, was a retired Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History." / Paul Moseley/McClatchy-Tribune
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER MUST BE RECOGNISED IN SOUTH AFRICA
Iraq war veteran charged with killing 'American Sniper' author Chris Kyle, friend
February 4, 2013 TEXAS
By Jamie Stengle and Christopher Sherman
Associated Press
STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- A 25-year-old Iraq war veteran charged with killing former Navy SEAL and "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend fired on the pair at a Texas shooting range, authorities said Sunday.
Eddie Ray Routh of Lancaster was arraigned early Sunday in Saturday's deaths of Kyle, 38, and Chad Littlefield, 35, at a shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge, about 50 miles southwest of Ft. Worth. Routh was being held on one charge of capital murder and two charges of murder.
Capt. Jason Upshaw with the Erath County Sheriff's Office said Routh used a semiautomatic handgun, which authorities later found at his home. Upshaw said ballistics tests weren't complete Sunday, but authorities said they think the gun was used in the shootings. Upshaw declined to give any more details about the gun.
Routh has not made any comments indicating what his motive may have been, Upshaw said. Sheriff Tommy Bryant said Routh was unemployed and "might have been suffering from some type of mental illness from being in the military himself," but he didn't know whether Routh was on any medication or whether he might have post-traumatic stress disorder.
The U.S. military confirmed Sunday that Routh was in the Marines in 2006-10. He was deployed to Iraq in 2007. His current duty status is listed as reserve.
Routh is being held on a $3-million bond. Authorities did not know whether he had a lawyer yet.
Kyle, a decorated veteran, wrote the best-selling book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History," detailing his 150-plus kills of insurgents in 1999-2009. Kyle said in his book that Iraqi insurgents had put a bounty on his head. According to promotional information from book publisher William Morrow, Kyle was deployed to Iraq four times.
Bryant said the trio went to the shooting range about 3:15 p.m. Saturday. A hunting guide came across the bodies of Kyle and Littlefield about 5 p.m. and called 911.
Travis Cox, the director of a nonprofit Kyle helped found, said Sunday that Kyle and Littlefield had taken Routh to the range. Littlefield was Kyle's neighbor and workout buddy, Cox said.
"What I know is Chris and a gentleman -- great guy, I knew him well, Chad Littlefield -- took a veteran out shooting who was struggling with PTSD to try to assist him, try to help him, try to, you know, give him a helping hand and he turned the gun on both of them, killing them," Cox said.
SAPA - AP
'American Sniper' Killing Suspect's Sister 'Terrified' in 911 Call
The sister of Eddie Ray Routh, the Marine reservist accused of murdering former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and another man at a rural Texas gun range, told police she was "terrified for her life" when her brother showed up at her house and allegedly told her what he'd done.
In a tape of the 911 call Laura Blevins made to the Midlothian Police Department Saturday evening, her voice quivers and shakes as she says Routh showed up at her home in a pickup truck she had never seen before.
"He told me that he has committed a murder," she said. "And I am terrified for my life ... Because I don't know if he's going to come back here.
"Now, listen ... I don't know if he's being honest with me," she said. "I'm just really terrified."
The 911 operator suggested that Blevins and her family come to the police station, which was nearby, and told her to stay on the phone as they made the trip.
"OK, that would be great because I'm really scared," Blevins said.
When the 911 operator asked Blevins whether Routh told her who he had killed, she said: "He said he killed two guys; they went out to a shooting range. Like he's all crazy. He's f---ing psychotic. I'm sorry for my language. I don't know if he's on drugs or not."
Erath County Sheriff's Office
Eddie Ray Routh has been charged with the... View Full Size
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As they were on their way to the police station, Blevins gave the phone to her husband, who described the pickup truck Routh was driving, and said that there were two guns in the truck
"He was talking ... kind of ... babble," "He's recently diagnosed with PTSD ... Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ... and he's been acting a little weird from that. He just got out of the mental hospital, actually."
Blevins husband said Routh had been released from Green Oaks Psychiatric Hospital "about a week ago."
According to police records obtained by the Dallas Morning News, Routh had been confined to Green Oaks twice since September.
Routh, 25, is accused of shooting Kyle, 38, who served four tours of duty in Iraq and wrote the best-selling memoir "American Sniper." He also allegedly shot another veteran, Chad Littlefield, 35, when the three men were at a gun range in Erath County, Texas, on Saturday.
Guards at the Erath County Jail used a Taser on Routh on Sunday night, after he became belligerent and refused to give jailers the tray on which he had been served dinner, authorities said.
When guards came to collect his tray, Routh "was trying to attack them," said Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant at a press conference.
An official at the county jail, unauthorized to speak for attribution, told ABCNews.com that Routh had been placed on suicide watch and was confined to a solitary cell, restrained in a chair.
Routh was arrested Saturday, after the men's bodies were found. Police chased down Routh, who was driving Kyle's stolen pickup truck, disabling the vehicle with tacks and arresting the suspect.
Police said Sunday that Kyle and Littlefield were both killed at close range using a semi-automatic pistol.
Routh was charged with two counts of capital murder and his bond was set at $3 million.
He offered no confession or hint at a motive, police said.
Routh will be appointed an attorney, and will likely receive a lawyer experienced in handling capital cases.
Kyle founded FITCO, an organization that encouraged veterans to cope with post-traumatic stress through exercise. Police have not yet confirmed that Routh was diagnosed with PTSD.
SAPA - AP
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COMMENTS BY SONNY COX
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The SAPS do not want to recognise PTSD.
They don't want to send members who have experienced traumatic
situations for therapy or discharged them on medical grounds.
THIS IS THE MAIN REASON WHY MEMBERS OF THE SAPS
TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES, OR THE LIVES OF COLLEAGUES.
THE SANDF IS IN THE SAME SITUATION.
UNDER TRAINED AND OVEREXPOSED!
...."WHEN A POLICEMAN OR SOLDIER SNAPS -
YOU CANNOT RECALL THE BULLET THAT HAS
LEFT THE BARREL!"....
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