Deliberations Commence in Platero Trial for Fort Stewart Soldier

Deliberations have begun the case against a Fort Stewart soldier accused of double murder, according to a Fort Stewart press release.

The five-member military panel hearing the case against Spc. Neftaly Platero entered deliberations at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, the release stated.

Platero is accused of killing Pfc. Gebrah Noonan and Spc. John Carillo, Jr. and gravely injuring Spc. Jeffrey Shonk while the four were deployed together in Iraq in September of 2010.

THe prosecution maintains that Platero shot Noonan, Carillio and Shonk, who were his roommates in Fallujah, Iraq. The defense, however, called to the stand Army crime investigators who said they'd been unable to find gunshot residue on Platero's hands or identify his fingerprints on the rifle used in the attack or any of the spent shell casings found at the scene.

More on the Platero case: