Two Navy SEALS from the elite SEAL Team Six are being investigated for allegedly murdering an Army Green Beret in Mali last June after he discovered an illegal money operation allegedly being run by the special operators, according to The Daily Beast.
The New York Times first reported last month that two SEALs were under investigation for allegedly killing Army Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar at the American embassy in Bamako, Mali.
Medical examiners ruled Melgar’s death a homicide and said he died from asphyxiation.
The jurisdiction for the investigation was transferred from Army investigators to the Navy in September, indicating the two SEALs had become the center of the investigation.
The Daily Beast reported over the weekend, citing five sources in the special ops community, that the SEALs under investigation had been pocketing money meant to fund an informant program.
Melgar then discovered the illicit money scheme, the SEALs reportedly offered to cut him in, but he refused, the Daily Beast reported. Then on June 4, an altercation broke out and Melgar ended up dead. The two SEALs and another Green Beret soldier allegedly took Melgar to the hospital, but it was too late, the report said.
According to The Daily Beast, the SEALs claimed Melgar was drunk when they were practicing “combatives,” or hand-to-hand combat. However, the Daily Beast reported Melgar didn't have alcohol in his system, causing more doubt to surround the SEALs' version of events.
Melgar reportedly told his wife that he had “a bad feeling about two of his partners,” the Daily Beast reported. That was shortly before he died.
However, not much more is known as military investigators are keeping the investigation under wraps. So far, military officials have only confirmed the investigation is ongoing.
No one has yet been charged in the death. However, the two SEALs at the center of the investigation were quickly flown out of Mali following the indicent and have been placed on administrative leave, according to The Daily Beast.
