Iraq War Vet Kills Dogs, Self, Daughter, And Pregnant Wife

When the statistics come out revealing the devastation of the Iraq (or any) war, the metrics don’t begin to tell the story of personal tragedy.  Pfc. Matthew Magdzas was a 23-year-old Wisconsin National Guard soldier who shot and killed his pregnant wife, their 13-month-old daughter, and their three dogs before killing himself.

Magdzas enlisted in the National Guard during the summer of 2004, between his junior and senior years in high school, Guthrie said. He had completed his training by October 2005 and was assigned to the Superior-based 950th Engineer Company.

He volunteered to deploy overseas with the Milwaukee-based 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment in 2006. The unit was tasked with protecting convoys moving from Kuwait into northern Iraq, Guthrie said.

He served as a vehicle gunner and was involved in a small-arms battle in Iraq in November 2006, she said. She did not know exactly where the battle took place. Magdzas received a combat action badge, an award that recognizes participation in combat. His deployment ended in 2007.

Some time after returning to Wisconsin, Magdzas went to work as a firearms instructor for Better Defense, a shooting school in Rice Lake. According to his profile on the school’s website, Magdzas began shooting before he was 12 years old. It also said he received the Purple Heart, an award given to U.S. military personnel wounded or killed in battle. Guthrie said there is no record he received the honor.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.