FORT HOOD, Texas — Vidalia native Sgt. Shameka Nicole Jones, 26, died June 22 at Fort Hood after allegedly being stabbed by her ex-husband, 36-year-old Donovan Lair.

Lair, a civilian, flagged over military police when they arrived at her Fort Hood residence and admitted to police he stabbed his wife, the criminal complaint filed in Waco, Texas, states.

Inside the residence, military police found Jones’ body next to a bed. She was taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, where she died.

Police also found Jones children sleeping in another room in the residence.

Lair told an FBI special agent he stabbed his ex-wife in the chest with a butcher knife inside the house, the complaint states.

The couple divorced two weeks earlier. An argument started, which led to the death, when Lair arrived Monday to pick up his “biological child,” according to the complaint.

Lair was arrested at the scene. He is charged with murder on a U.S. government reservation. He was expected to remain in custody of U.S. Marshals in Waco until further court proceedings.

Lair was scheduled to have preliminary and detention hearings Thursday but waived those on Tuesday, FBI Special Agent Erik Vasys said.

Jones was a native of Vidalia, a III Corps news release stated. She returned in February from a 15-month deployment to Iraq in November 2007.

In November 2005, Jones entered the Army as a construction equipment repairer, and was assigned to the 36th Engineer Brigade’s 59th Mobility Augmentation Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, since May 2006, according to information from Fort Hood.

Her awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon.

Story provided courtesy of the Killeen Daily Herald.