The Kandahar Massacre

Robert Bales (born June 30, 1973) is a United States Army soldier who murdered 16 Afghan civilians in Panjwai, Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 11, 2012. In subsequent media reports, the incident has been referred to as the Kandahar massacre or the Panjwai Massacre.

On March 23, 2012, Bales was formally charged with 17 counts of murder and six counts of assault and attempted murder. He is being held at the US Disciplinary Barracks, a military correctional facility on Fort Leavenworth, a US Army post in Kansas.

On May 29, 2013, it was reported that Bales would enter a guilty plea in exchange for life in prison, thereby avoiding the death penalty. On June 5, 2013, Bales was found guilty in a plea bargain. In August, a hearing to determine whether Bales will be eligible for parole after ten years was scheduled.

On the night of March 11, 2012, 16 Afghan civilians were shot and killed in the villages of Balandi and Alkozai near Camp Belamby. According to US Army investigators, Bales was the sole perpetrator of the shootings, and that he divided the killings into two attacks, returning to Camp Belamby after the first attack and leaving again an hour later.

Bales' civilian attorney, John Henry Browne, who also represented serial killer Ted Bundy, later stated, "I doubt the government will be able to demonstrate much. There's no forensic evidence. There's nothing to confess." Browne, on the other hand, changed his tune in May 2013, stating that his client would confess to the massacre in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. The massacre claimed the lives of nine children, some as young as two years old, and four women.

Bales was quickly evacuated from Afghanistan, stopping in Kuwait. The abrupt transfer to Kuwait caused a diplomatic uproar because the Kuwaiti government learned about the Bales case from news reports rather than the US government. When the Kuwaitis found out, they blew a gasket and demanded that he leave.

On March 16, 2012, Bales was flown from Kuwait to the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a state-of-the-art medium/minimum custody facility. According to US Army Colonel James Hutton, Chief of Media Relations, Bales was being held in special housing in his own cell and was able to go outside the cell "for hygiene and recreational purposes." In October 2012, he was transferred to the Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

On March 23, 2012, Bales was charged with 17 counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, and six counts of assault. The government dropped one of the murder charges on June 1st, claiming that one victim had been counted twice. Other charges, such as steroid abuse, alcohol consumption, and attempting to destroy evidence, were filed concurrently. The total number of assault charges had been increased from six to seven.

Bales is a married man with two small children.

Following the shootings, the family was relocated from their home in Lake Tapps, Washington, for their safety. Bales' wife Karilyn told People magazine about the murders for which he was charged: "...I know my husband didn't do that. That's not Bob. " On CBS, the morning on July 2, 2012, Bales (captioned as Kari) stated that she had spoken to her husband in detention frequently but had never asked him about what happened in the Panjwali villages. "We just talk about family matters", she explained.

The Bales were in financial trouble and had listed their home for sale three days before the shootings. The house was listed for $50,000 less than what they paid for it in 2005, and $50,000 less than what they owed the bank.

Officials believe Bales had marital problems since his return from deployment in Iraq in 2010. Bales' wife expressed her dissatisfaction with her husband being passed over for a promotion to sergeant first class, "after all of the work Bob has done and all of the sacrifices he has made for his love of his country, family, and friends." She also looked forward to the family's next duty station, listing Germany, Italy, Hawaii, Kentucky, or Georgia as her top choices, calling the possibilities opportunities for adventure.

The following are some of the decorations Bales received while serving:

Army Commendation Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster

Army Achievement Medal

Army Good Conduct Medal with three Good Conduct Loops

National Defense Service Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Army Service Ribbon

Army Overseas Service Ribbon

Meritorious Unit Commendation with one bronze oak leaf cluster

Army Superior Unit Award

Combat Infantryman Badge