A U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was found brutally murdered after being stabbed 68 times inside a Tennessee home last May, and now her husband and a female accomplice are facing charges.
Army Private First Class Katia Dueñas Aguilar, 23, was discovered dead in a residence on May 18, 2024, per police. Investigators later determined she had been stabbed 68 times, primarily in the neck, according to an autopsy report.
Police have charged Sofia Rodas, 35, with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Aguilar's husband, 40-year-old Reynaldo Salinas Cruz, faces charges of tampering with evidence, authorities said.
"We were very confused and to hear this now, ever since the beginning we've just had the suspicion like, it had to be them," Aguilar's sister, Cecelia Aguilar Ruiz, told FOX 4. Family members also revealed they did not know about Aguilar's marriage to Cruz until he informed them of her death.
At the time of their indictment, Rodas and Cruz were already in federal custody on unrelated charges. They were extradited to Clarksville on February 7 and booked into the Montgomery County Jail.
Police have not disclosed a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing. The Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) assisted local law enforcement in piecing together the case.
"LULAC continues to stand with the family of Katia Dueñas Aguilar. This news is bittersweet to them for while it provides some hope for justice, nothing will bring her back. We trust that the investigation will help shed light on the motive for Katia's killing. Also, what we learn from this case may help protect other service members from falling victim to foul play," League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) President Roman Palomares said.
Aguilar joined the Army in 2019 and had been serving as an information technology specialist with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. She had earned several military honors, including the National Defense Service Medal. She also leaves behind a 4-year-old son.
As the case moves forward, Aguilar's family hopes she will be remembered for the warmth, kindness, and ambition that defined her life.
"To remember her as a very caring person, very bright person — full of laughter, sunshine," Ruiz said.
