The U.S. Department of Justice announced an arrest in the 2001 murder of a pregnant soldier on a military base in Germany.
The investigation into Pfc. Amanda Gonzales’ death went cold for years until Thursday when the victim’s parents in Wylie, Texas, received a call they’d been praying for.
“Last 24 hours have been an emotional rollercoaster,” said Mike Bates. “It’s a relief.”
Gloria Bates fought back tears as she described getting the call from authorities.
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“It’s a sense of relief,” she said. “I feel like we bought a rollercoaster ticket and we’re waiting for this ride to show up and the ride showed up and they’re like, 'Get in. It’s time to go,' and now, we’re going and we’re holding on."
Gonzales’ biological father passed away a few years ago, said her mother. Mike Bates married Gloria when Amanda was 4 years old.
The Bates' visited Gonzales’ gravesite near their hometown of Bryan-College Station just before Valentine’s Day with the same promise.
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“I’m like, we’re still here. Your daddy is with you and we’re going to get through this. We’re going to finish this and then this happened and I’m like crying these tears of happiness,” Gloria Bates said. “Of wanting nobody to give up. Don’t give up because justice is out there."
The DOJ announced Thursday the arrest of former Armed Forces member Shannon Wilkerson. Wilkerson, now 42 years old, is charged with first-degree murder in Gonzales’ death in November 2001 at a former U.S. Army Base in Hanau, Germany.
Gonzales's parents told NBC 5 she was 19 years old and four months pregnant when she was beaten and strangled to death with her own pants inside her barracks room.
Her body was discovered after she did not report to work.
Gonzales was on her first assignment for the Army and had been assigned to the Headquarters Supply Company of the 127th Aviation Support battalion as a cook, the FBI told NBC News.
News of Wilkerson’s arrest, the Bates' said, did not come as a surprise to former soldiers who have reached out to them.
“They were like, 'We knew it. It was him. We knew it was him all along. Why did it take so long?'” said Mike.
The couple said Gonzales had been in a relationship with Wilkerson, who was married at the time. She told them she was pregnant with another soldier’s baby.
“Her name would have been Alicia Marie,” Gloria said.
The Bates' said they will seek a second murder charge to be brought against Wilkerson over the death of their unborn grandbaby.
Wilkerson was discharged from the Army three years after the murder and has been living in Florida.
The Bates' said they do not know what led to Thursday’s arrest or a possible motive.
Wilkerson is being charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction act, according to the DOJ, which gives U.S. federal courts jurisdiction over crimes committed outside the U.S. by former members of the Armed Forces.
Bates said they will be flying to Pensacola, Florida, next week for Wilkerson’s detention hearing in federal court.
“We’ll get to see him for the first time, face to face,” said Mike. “We want to make sure he sees us and he knows we’re there and we want justice to be done. It’s been long overdue.”
Wilkerson has pleaded not guilty. If convicted of murder, Wilkerson faces a maximum of life in prison.
