A tragic incident involving two U.S. Army soldiers has shaken the military community in Fairbanks, Alaska.
According to the New York Post, 24-year-old Private First Class Adayus Robertson was arrested on Friday and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly shooting 37-year-old Joseph Casas in the head at a Fairbanks apartment near Fort Wainwright.
The shooting took place just before 10 a.m. on Friday when witnesses reported hearing gunfire at the apartment. Emergency responders rushed Casas to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead. An emergency room doctor who examined the victim noted the wound's trajectory suggested an execution-style killing.
Robertson was already under legal scrutiny at the time of the shooting. The Army soldier faced a felony assault charge from March after allegedly pistol-whipping a woman in January. He had posted a $10,000 cash bail and was initially placed under house arrest at the base.
On March 27, Robertson faced an additional escape charge after leaving his confined quarters. A judge later modified his release conditions on April 1, removing the house arrest requirement and allowing him to leave the base.
The soldier's military career had only recently begun. He enlisted in 2023 and was serving as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist at Fort Wainwright, his first and only duty station.
Multiple witnesses present during the incident have provided detailed accounts to investigators. A female witness who was with Robertson in the bathroom reported that he suddenly left her alone, followed by a loud bang.
According to the witness statement: "He picked stuff up off the table before we left. He was mumbling about how messed up the situation was."
Another witness at the scene told officers he feared for his own life, saying he believed he might be the next target. He also said that Casas didn’t deserve what happened to him.
Police investigators have built a strong case against Robertson using GPS tracking data that placed him at the scene before and after the shooting. Officers following tracks in the snow discovered a .40 caliber Glock in a nearby trash bin, which was later determined to have been purchased by one of Robertson's relatives.
When questioned by detectives, Robertson claimed that Casas had been "bouncing around and saying a lot of crazy stuff." He then requested an attorney and declined to provide any additional information. The murder investigation revealed that Robertson and Casas knew each other, though the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear. Police have not yet disclosed a possible motive for the shooting.
Adayus Robertson faces multiple serious charges, including first-degree murder, evidence tampering, and probation violation related to his previous cases. A judge has set his bail at $2.5 million, reflecting the severity of the charges and his prior legal troubles.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Fort Wainwright military community, where Robertson served in the 11th Airborne Division. The incident highlights concerns about violence within military ranks and the effectiveness of pretrial monitoring systems, as Robertson was able to allegedly commit this crime while already facing serious charges.
