FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — A U.S. Army staff sergeant stationed at Fort Cavazos had an arraignment Monday for charges over the shooting death of a Killeen man back in February.
Staff Sgt. Marlone L. Best is accused of shooting and killing Larry Kidd Jr., 28, back on Feb. 17, 2024, according to the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel (Army OSTC). On Aug. 12 the charges against Best were referred to a general court martial and charged with premeditated murder, according to the Army OSTC.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel had one charge and two specifications against Staff Sgt. Best for the murder of Larry P. Kidd, Jr. One specification is for premeditated murder and the other is for murder while engaged in an act which is inherently dangerous to another.
Staff Sgt. Best pleaded not guilty to the charges and specifications and deferred from selecting panel members or a judge only for his trial.
The next steps in the process include opportunities for the prosecution and defense to litigate pre-trial motions on Nov. 18, 2024, and the trial is scheduled for Jan. 3 – 10, 2025, the Army OSTC said.
The charges are merely allegations and Staff. Sgt. Best is presumed innocent unless proven guilty, according to the Army OSTC.
According to Kidd's obituary, he was a husband and father to three children. He graduated from Killeen High School in 2013 and played football at Mary Harden Baylor in Belton, as well as Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.
No other information was released at this time.
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