Marine Times reported 28 year old medically retired Cpl. Robert Richards was found dead Wednesday in his home in Jacksonville, North Carolina. A mix of medications is the suspected cause but the death is not being considered self-inflicted. Richards was a scout sniper team leader in 3rd BN, 2nd Marine Reg’t. He and three others were filmed urinating on dead Taliban corpses.
The incident resulted in the separation and or court of all the Marines involved in the incident and allegations of undue command influence against Marine Commandant Gen. Jim Amos in ensuring the Marines were disciplined harshly and separated from the service. The situation has been covered here at GruntsandCo extensively. Gen Amos was cleared of any allegations or retribution against a Marine lawyer defending a later separated CPT. Clements, the XO of the company at the time.
Richards was eventually separated from the Marines from injuries from an IED attack in 2010 where a foot was almost severed. Despite his injuries he volunteered for a subsequent deployment where he was hand selected to lead a team. Richards told Marine Corps Times last year he despised being at the center of the controversy resulting from the video and expressed remorse only for causing hardship for other Marines in his unit.