With jury selection scheduled to begin on Thursday in the capital murder trial of Eddie Ray Routh accused of fatally shooting Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, shocking new facts have surfaced about the former marine veteran.
Kyle, who has been credited with being the U.S. military's most lethal sniper, was fatally gunned down along with friend Chad Littlefield by 27-year-old Routh at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas, on February 2, 2013, Reuters reported. Routh, who struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving as a small arms technician in Iraq before leaving the Marines in 2010, is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.
Until now, the narrative has been that Kyle had taken Routh to target practice after Routh's mother requested the 38-year-old sniper to help Routh deal with PTSD. But once at the gun range, Routh killed Kyle.
However according to Routh's wartime record, obtained by The Warfighter Foundation through the Freedom of Information Act, the 27-year-old had not been suffering from PTSD and was in fact, a converted Muslim who allegedly murdered Kyle as retribution for the sniper's success in Iraq, Truth Revolt reported.
"Eddie Routh served one tour in Iraq in 2007, at Balad Air Base (the 2nd largest U.S. installation in Iraq), with no significant events. No combat experience. Let me say that again, he NEVER SAW COMBAT or any aspect of traumatic events associated with a combat deployment (i.e. incoming mortar or rocket fire). He never left the base, EVER," The Warfighter Foundation stated on Facebook.
"He was known to be a drug user and a below average performer while in the Marine Corps," the statement continued. "This has NOTHING to do with PTSD. He was an individual with psychological problems that were not associated with his service."
At the Balad Airbase prison, Routh was known to have guarded Muslim terrorists. And according to Walid Shoebat, a former radicalized Muslim terrorist and member of the PLO who has since converted to Christianity, Routh had started to become a radical Muslim during his time over there.
"While working as a guard at Balad Air Base, Routh laments his [Muslim] prisoners' poor living conditions," Shoebat recalled.
"During a phone call with his father, Routh expressed sympathy for the detainees and discontent over how the U.S. was conducting the war as well as his reluctance to engage in combat," he said, although there is no proof of the conversation.
In addition, Routh's appearance had started to slightly transform. "In the story on Eddie Routh, who murdered Chris Kyle, there are signs of concern, especially the facial hair, it does match the profile of a convert."
"One main key in profiling a Muslim fundamentalist is that they usually trim the mustache. Always remember, a Muslim fundamentalist is mandated by Islam to trim the mustache," he added.
However, it is important to mention that Routh had been admitted to inpatient psychiatric treatment prior to Kyle's murder at Rough Creek Ranch. In the past five months, he had also been taken to a mental hospital, with police records stating that he was suffering from PTSD, according to UK MailOnline.
For now, it remains to be seen how Routh's trial unfolds and if any of these facts stand to be significant.
