{"id":46375,"date":"2023-05-19T00:22:27","date_gmt":"2023-05-19T00:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/05\/19\/investigation-four-sailor-suicides-from-same-command-not-connected\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:53:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:53:23","slug":"investigation-four-sailor-suicides-from-same-command-not-connected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2023\/05\/19\/investigation-four-sailor-suicides-from-same-command-not-connected\/","title":{"rendered":"Investigation: Four sailor suicides from same command not connected"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note: This report contains discussion of suicide. Troops, veterans and family members experiencing suicidal thoughts can call the 24-hour Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, texting 838255 or visiting <\/i>VeteransCrisisLine.net<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suicides of four sailors assigned to the same unit in Virginia within a span of 28 days late last year were not directly connected, according to a service investigation released Thursday. But the losses all involved sailors who had accessed Navy mental health services and were dealing with \u201cfamily, financial, medical and career-related factors.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Kody Decker died by suicide on Oct. 29 and Electronics Technician Seaman Cameron Armstrong took his life on Nov. 5, while Machinist\u2019s Mate Fireman Deonte Autry died by suicide on Nov. 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three men were 22-years-old. Twelve days later, on Nov. 26, Fire Controlman 2nd Class Janelle Holder, 39, ended her life as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investigating team assessed that \u201caccess to personally owned firearms and unwillingness to surrender access to lethal means, to include the use of gun locks, was a causal factor in the deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All four were in their first enlistment as they grappled with various life challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sailors were all in a limited-duty, or LIMDU, status at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center in Virginia, a sprawling command responsible for overseeing the area\u2019s ship maintenance and a place to put sailors who required LIMDU status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a lack of communication between MARMC coordinators and military treatment facilities, and this \u201cfractured\u201d situation led to \u201cblind spots\u201d when it came to LIMDU sailors seeking mental health assistance, which investigators cited as a contributing factor in the deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limited-duty sailors were also not properly managed or monitored within the command.<\/p>\n\n\n\t