Two soldiers who died in their Fort Bragg barracks room Friday were likely involved with illicit drugs, the Army Criminal Investigation Command said in a statement Monday.
Spc. Joshua Diamond, 35, of Plymouth, Mass., and Pfc. Matthew Disney, 20, of Aberdeen, Md., were paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division. They were discovered unresponsive in their barracks room Friday, according to a statement Monday by the division.
Shortly after, emergency responders arrived and declared the soldiers dead, according to the statement.
“At this point in the investigation we do have credible information that the Soldiers were involved with illicit drugs,” said Chris Grey, spokesman for Army CID, which is investigating the case.
Assigned to 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Diamond and Disney served as field artillery fire-finder radar operators.
The two each enlisted with the Army in 2019, with Diamond arriving at Fort Bragg the same year. Disney came to the base in 2020.
“Our greatest strength is our paratroopers and these losses are a tragedy,” said Col. Phillip J. Kiniery III, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Diamond served in combat during a 2020 deployment to Iraq. He received the Army Commendation Medal with Combat Device, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge and the Army Parachutist Badge, according to the statement.
Disney received the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge and the Army Parachutist Badge.
“We mourn the passing of Matthew and Joshua. They remain part of our Family of Falcon Brigade Paratroopers,” Kiniery said in the statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones and fellow paratroopers during this difficult time.”
Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos
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