Family members of
a U.S. National Guard soldier who was shot dead in a
secure area of Afghanistan met with Army investigators, who
said they were doing all they could to determine how
the woman died, the relatives said Thursday.
Spc. Ciara
Durkin, 30, was found with a single gunshot wound to her
head in a secure area of Bagram Airfield on Friday.
Her family at
first said the Army gave conflicting information about her
death, telling them she was killed ''in action,'' then later
saying she died in a ''noncombat related incident.''
They also said the Army was withholding copies of the
autopsy report and her will.
The case drew
Congressional attention, with U.S. Senators John Kerry and
Edward Kennedy urging Army officials to be more forthcoming.
The
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which represents gay
and lesbian military personnel, has called for a
thorough investigation. Durkin was openly lesbian, her
sister Fiona Canavan told The Boston Globe.
Army
investigators met with the family Wednesday. ''The family is
confident that the Army is conducting a thorough
investigation of Ciara's death and intends to give the
Army time to complete its inquiry,'' the family said
in a statement. They did not return phone messages left by
the Associated Press for additional comment.
The Army's
Criminal Investigation Command is probing the death,
although that does not necessarily mean foul play is
involved, spokesman Chris Gary said.
Canavan told
The Patriot Ledger newspaper that Durkin said she
had seen some things ''she didn't like and made some
enemies because of it.'' The family has discounted the
possibility of suicide, saying Durkin was upbeat
during her last visit home in September.
Durkin was
assigned to a finance battalion, where she helped make sure
soldiers got paid. (AP)
