3rd Infantry soldier gets 20 years in colleague's slaying

<p>A Fort Benning soldier was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday for his role in the slaying of a fellow infantryman just days after they returned from Iraq following the 2003 assault on Baghdad.</p><p>Jacob Burgoyne pleaded guilty Jan. 20 to voluntary manslaughter and robbery in the July 2003 stabbing of Spc. Richard Davis of St. Charles, Mo.</p><p>The 26-year-old member of the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade testified for the state last week against fellow Pfcs. Mario Navarrete and Alberto Martinez, both of whom were convicted of murder and sentenced to life.</p><p>The murder was committed a day after the four, plus Pfc. Douglas Woodcoff of San Antonio, Texas, returned from a tour in Iraq. All were drinking during their night out in Columbus, when Burgoyne and Davis got into a fight upon leaving a nightclub, testimony revealed. Woodcoff's only charge is concealing the death of a person.</p><p>Martinez, of Oceanside, Calif., drove to a wooded area and stabbed Davis more than 33 times. The soldiers then bought lighter fluid and returned to the woods, where Burgoyne burned Davis' body, according to trial testimony. The body was discovered three months later.</p><p>The slain soldier's father, Lanny Davis, testified at Burgoyne's sentencing. He leaned over the witness stand and raised his voice as he addressed Burgoyne:</p><p>"You murdered my son," Davis said. "You're nothing but a cold-blooded, dirty murderer."</p><p>Dr. John Stuart Currie testified that, after examining Burgoyne, he determined Burgoyne suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, along with panic attacks, clinical depression and flashbacks from combat. He once attempted suicide in Kuwait, Currie testified.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cd9f5c)</p>