Men kill, chop up roommate who served in Army with them: DA
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Left: Rainor Joiner (Taos County Adult Detention Center). Center: Matthew McLaughlin (The AWARE Foundation/Facebook). Right: David Degroat (Taos County Adult Detention Center).

Two New Mexico men allegedly killed and chopped up a U.S. Army veteran who served with them in the same unit at Fort Benning in Georgia, with one of them admitting to cops, “I did it … and I don”t f—ing regret it,” according to reports.

Rainor Joiner, 23, and David Degroat, 22, are accused of killing their roommate, Matthew McLaughlin, 25, in Taos County and scattering his body parts in “several locations” along US 64 near Tres Piedras, according to local police.

McLaughlin was reported missing on July 31 and a search was conducted locally by authorities and a group out of Virginia, The AWARE Foundation, while cops opened a missing persons case and investigated. McLaughlin was from West Virginia, police said.

On Aug. 17, deputies detained Joiner and Degroat for questioning. They learned that the three men had served together at Fort Benning and were living together in New Mexico, according to a Taos County Sheriff’s Office press release. Joiner and Degroat allegedly deserted and had active military warrants for their arrests at the time of McLaughlin’s disappearance. McLaughlin is described by police as an “Army veteran.”

During police questioning, Joiner allegedly admitted to shooting McLaughlin, “and with the help of Degroat, dismembering him and disposing of the body parts,” according to the sheriff’s office. “Joiner led Deputies to these areas where they recovered several plastic bags just as Joiner described,” the press release says. “The bags contained human remains and were turned over to the Office of the Medical Investigator.”

Both Joiner and Degroat were promptly taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder and “other violent felonies,” according to police.

Court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate KOB say Joiner allegedly told investigators that McLaughlin was a bad roommate who started rumors about him, was using drugs regularly, and was bringing people to the residence that Joiner and Degroat didn’t know. The two men allegedly ambushed McLaughlin on July 25 and shot him dead, according to the court documents.

“[Joiner] admitted he shot the individual with a rifle and then again with a pistol, then, subsequent days later, he continued to dismember the victim,” TCSO Undersheriff Gabriel Ortiz told local ABC affiliate KOAT. “The individual was very much non-remorseful. No emotions, just a kind of blank face and told them [deputies] exactly what he did and didn’t have any emotions at all.”

Online court records show Joiner and Degroat are both due in court on Sept. 2 for a detention and preliminary hearing. They are being held without bond.

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