A US Army Blackhawk pilot was found dead on a riverbank near his military base in Honduras.
The body of 1st Lt. Marciano Parisano, 25, was discovered in the Chiquito River in Comayagua on Saturday, about five miles from where he was stationed at Soto Cano Air Base, the Honduran National Police said.
Police located Parisano’s body floating in the river moments after a resident reported a fire.
Authorities canvassed the area and recovered his cell phone, which had been damaged.
National Police investigators, who are working with the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division, have ruled out robbery as a motive and identified multiple suspects, but did not release their names, according to La Prensa newspaper.
No arrests had been reported as of Wednesday.
Parisano, of Cibolo, Texas, was away from the base on a liberty pass at the time, according to the U.S. Embassy.
‘It is with deep sorrow and great sadness that we mourn the passing of Lieutenant Marciano Parisano,’ U.S. Army Colonel Daniel Alder, Joint Task Force-Bravo Soto Cano commander, said in a statement.
‘He served our unit and the mission at Soto Cano Air Base with honor, pride, and courage.
‘He will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him and serving alongside him,’ Alder added.
‘The command team extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
‘We share their grief at this difficult time. The loss of a soldier is always an irreparable tragedy.’
Parisano graduated from United States Military Academy West Point in May 2023 and then trained as a pilot at Alabama’s Fort Novosel.
He served as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot with the 1st Battalion, 228 Aviation Regiment, according to the Army.
Parisano was also assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo, a unit that operated out of Soto Cano Air Base and worked with Honduran law enforcement agencies to battle counter organized crime, drug trafficking and other threats.
Parisano was honored with the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Air Assault Badge, Army Service Ribbon and the Army Aviation ‘wings’ in his short military career.
News of the young soldier’s death stunned his friends and family, as well as his fiancee, Alley Singley, to whom he got engaged on April 19.
‘Marco, my love, There are no words to describe the immense love I feel for you and the joy I felt committing to being your wife,’ Singley wrote in a social media post.
‘Tragically, that opportunity was taken from you far too soon.
‘The chance to grow old with you is now just a dream, but I’ll take you with me in everything I do.’
According to Singley’s post, Parisano taught at Sunday school classes at his local church.
“My heart is broken, but I have peace knowing that you are worshipping with our Father in Heaven,” she wrote. “You are seated at Jesus’ feet now and forever.”