Map: Body of third Fort Hood soldier discovered

A body discovered near a Texas lake is that of the third Fort Hood soldier to have been found dead in a month.

Pvt. Mejhor Morta, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, was pronounced dead shortly after the discovery Friday near Stillhouse Hollow Lake, 12 miles from the Army base in Killeen. Officials have not said whether his death is considered suspicious.

In recent weeks, the remains of two missing Fort Hood soldiers were discovered:

• The body of Gregory Wedel-Morales, 23, was discovered June 19 buried in a field at the end of a Killeen cul-de-sac. He had gone missing August 20, 2019, while driving in Killeen. His family said he had planned to begin paperwork that week to be discharged from the Army.

• The dismembered remains of Vanessa Guillen, 20, were discovered June 30 buried next to the Leon River, 25 miles southeast of Fort Hood. She had been last been seen April 22 at the base. A fellow soldier suspected in her death fatally shot himself as investigators closed in on him on a Killeen street hours after the remains were discovered.

There is no indication that the deaths of Guillen and Wedel-Morales were connected.

U.S. Army officials gave no details of where Morta’s body was found or the cause of death.  Stillhouse Hollow Lake is a reservoir on the Lampasas River that is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Morta had entered the Army in September 2019 as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic.

About 45,000 soldiers and 9,000 civilians work at Fort Hood, 60 miles north of Austin.