Idaho soldier pleads guilty in Afghan plot

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD — An Idaho soldier among five charged in the thrill-killings of Afghan civilians last year pleaded guilty to a murder charge Thursday, confessing in court that he fired a heavy machine gun at a startled, unarmed man from 15 feet away after a co-defendant tossed a grenade at him.

“I knew I should have taken cover, but instead I pulled the trigger,” Pvt. 1st Class Andrew Holmes, of Boise, Idaho, told the judge.

The soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle were arrested in Afghanistan last year, after prosecutors said they killed three civilians for sport during patrols in January, February and May.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Holmes, 21, was accused of directly participating in the first killing, and he was initially charged with conspiracy, premeditated murder and other charges. In a deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to murder by an inherently dangerous act, possessing a finger bone from his victim, and smoking hashish.

Holmes told the judge, Lt. Col. Kwasi Hawks, that one of the ringleaders of the plot, then-Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, had frequently talked about killing civilians and suggested ways they could do it. As they left on patrol on Jan. 15, 2010, Morlock told Holmes to grab an illicitly obtained grenade out of his tent because “something might happen” and Holmes complied: “I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I had a terrible feeling that Cpl. Morlock was up to no good.”

Later, as they patrolled a village in Kandahar Province, Morlock stood by a low wall along a field and called for Holmes. It was a cold day, Holmes said, and he was sweating and out of breath when he took a knee beside Morlock. He said he saw Morlock fiddling with something out of the corner of his eye “I suspected it was the grenade, but I was hoping it was his radio.”

The grenade it was. Morlock tossed it at a young man standing near the other side of the wall even though the man was obviously unarmed and posed no threat, Holmes said. Then, he ordered Holmes to shoot.

“I looked at the young man. He was standing there like a deer in the headlights,” Holmes told the judge in a clear, steady voice. “I fired six to eight rounds at the man, and I’ve regretted it ever since.”

Holmes and Morlock then posed for a photographs holding up the head of the victim. Holmes’ lawyer, Dan Conway, has insisted he was ordered to pose.

Holmes was expected to be sentenced Friday. No sentencing recommendations by prosecutors or the defense under the terms of the plea deal were immediately disclosed. Under military law, a person can be convicted of murder even if the act is not premeditated if, for example, the actions of the defendant were taken in disregard of human life.

The charges against the five soldiers from what was formerly known as the 5th Stryker Brigade [–] since renamed the 2nd Stryker Brigade are among the most serious war crimes charges to emerge from the Afghan war.

Prosecutors say that in addition to killing three men some of the defendants kept body parts severed from the corpses as well as photographs kept as war trophies. Drug use was rampant in the unit, and one soldier who blew the whistle on hash-smoking by his comrades was beaten up and threatened in retaliation.

Morlock has admitted taking part in the three killings and agreed to testify against his co-defendants in exchange for a 24-year sentence. Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs of Billings, Mont., is the highest ranking soldier charged in the killings, and Morlock and others said he was the mastermind. Gibbs denies wrongdoing.

Spc. Adam Winfield of Cape Coral, Fla., told his parents about the plot in Facebook messages after the first killing, and his father immediately reported it to Lewis-McChord. But the alert was not reported up the chain of command, and the plot did not come to light until months later, when two more victims had been killed.

Winfield admitted participating in the last killing, saying he thought Gibbs might kill him if he didn’t, and he pleaded guilty this summer to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three years.

Holmes also pleaded guilty to drug use and keeping a finger bone severed from a corpse. He told the judge Gibbs gave him the finger, and he took it only because Gibbs insisted.

Conway said it was a “tough pill to swallow” for Holmes to plead guilty to murder, but prosecutors would not agree to the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.

He blamed Holmes’ troubles on the unluckiness of being assigned to a unit with Morlock.

“Andy Holmes joined the Army as a healthy, good-natured, 18-year-old kid who liked to play golf and go fishing,” Conway said after court Thursday. “He may be leaving the Army as a felon.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

‘No Kings’ rallies draw thousands to Everett and throughout Snohomish County

Demonstrations were held nationwide to protest what organizers say is overreach by President Donald Trump and his administration.

Marysville is planning a new indoor sports facility, 350 apartments and a sizable hotel east of Ebey Waterfront Park. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New report shifts outlook of $25M Marysville sports complex

A report found a conceptual 100,000-square-foot sports complex may require public investment to pencil out.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Snohomish County Board of Health looking to fill vacancy

The county is accepting applications until the board seat is filled.

A recently finished log jam is visible along the Pilchuck River as a helicopter hovers in the distance to pick up a tree for another log jam up river on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Tulalip Tribes and DNR team up on salmon restoration project along the Pilchuck River

Tulalip Tribes and the state Department of Natural Resources are creating 30 log jams on the Upper Pilchuck River for salmon habitat.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.