Pensacola jury convicts former soldier of murdering pregnant 19-year-old in Germany in 2001
A Federal jury in Pensacola convicted a 43-year-old man Monday of murdering a pregnant 19-year-old at a U.S. military base in Germany in 2001.
Shannon Wilkerson was found guilty of second-degree murder for fatally beating and strangling Pfc. Amanda Gonzalez in her barracks on Nov. 3, 2001, at Fliegerhorst Kaserne — a military base in Hanau, Germany. Wilkerson was originally indicted for first-degree premeditated murder in February 2023, but the jury convicted him of the lesser included crime of second-degree murder.
Gonzalez was four months pregnant when she was killed, and Wilkerson was later discharged.
"The murder of Amanda Gonzalez and her unborn child was a horrific act of violence," said U.S. Attorney Jason Coody in a statement. "This decades-long investigation and resulting prosecution demonstrate the unwavering resolve of our law enforcement partners and their commitment to use every tool available to protect Americans, especially those serving our country."
Despite the crime occurring in Germany, the Department of Justice states that Wilkerson was charged under the U.S.'s Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, which gives federal courts jurisdiction over crimes committed outside the U.S. by former military members.
Wilkerson is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 8. He faces up to life in federal prison.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola jury convicts ex-Army soldier of killing Amanda Gonzalez
