Federal Trial for Accused Killer of Special Forces Soldier and Veteran Delayed Until Next Year

Accident – death – Obituary News : Federal Trial for Accused Man in 2020 Fort Liberty Slayings Likely to Extend into Next Year

The federal trial of Kenneth Maurice Quick Jr., who is accused of the December 2020 slayings of a Special Forces soldier and a veteran at Fort Liberty, is expected to be delayed until well into next year, according to court records. United States District Judge Louise Flanagan has granted Quick an extension until August 2, 2024, to file a response to the charges against him. Quick, 23, of Laurinburg, was indicted on August 1 on charges including murder, conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine, firearm and obstruction charges, and two counts of using a firearm causing death. The charges are related to the slayings of Master Sgt. William LaVigne II, 37, and Army veteran Timothy Dumas Sr., 44, who were found dead on December 2, 2020, in woods accessible to the public near a training area along Manchester Road.

In a recent motion, Quick requested an extension for pretrial motions in his case, citing the need for additional time to review witness statements and other evidence, including over 68,000 records and a terabyte of electronic data. Quick’s defense counsel argued that given the severity of the charges and the volume of discovery, the interests of justice are better served by granting an extension and allowing for a thorough investigation of the case. The motion further requested that federal prosecutors file any pretrial motions by July 19, with Quick given until August 2 to respond.

Quick’s indictment alleges that he conspired with others to distribute cocaine between November 25, 2020, and December 1, 2020. It also accuses Quick of shooting and killing Dumas on December 1, 2020, and causing the death of LaVigne during the trafficking of cocaine by using a firearm. The indictment further alleges that Quick attempted to dispose and conceal the bodies of the victims. LaVigne’s cause of death is listed as multiple gunshot wounds, while Dumas’ cause of death is listed as gunshot wounds to the chest and head.

According to court records, Quick was a felon at the time of the killings and allegedly possessed ammunition. He is also accused of obstructing justice by attempting to dispose of one of the victims’ bodies. The FBI and Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation into the slayings. LaVigne’s gray 2015 Chevrolet Colorado truck was found at the crime scene, while Dumas’ 2014 Dodge Ram truck was discovered abandoned and burned at an undisclosed location.

Quick is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon in Scotland County in May 2022. Charges of cocaine trafficking were dismissed in that case. It remains unclear how Quick, LaVigne, and Dumas were connected to each other. At the time of their deaths, LaVigne was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and had been in the Army for 19 years. Dumas, a resident of Pinehurst, served in the Army for 20 years and retired as a chief warrant officer 3 in March 2016.

The trial is expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of LaVigne and Dumas and the alleged involvement of Quick. As the trial date is pushed back, prosecutors and defense counsel will have more time to prepare their cases and ensure a fair and thorough examination of the evidence. The families of the victims, as well as the public, await justice for the loss of these two individuals who served their country..