Guard: Report of soldier killed may be hoax

Guard: Report of soldier killed may be hoax
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Nov 30, 2007 22:45:37 EST

STAMFORD, Conn. — Reports that a Stamford soldier died this week in Iraq may be a hoax, military officials said Friday.

Lt. Col. John Whitford of the Connecticut National Guard said that neither the state of Connecticut nor the U.S. Army can verify that Gabrielle Costello, 26, a volunteer Stamford firefighter, serves in the Army or was killed in Iraq.

“I’ve been in constant communication with the Army Human Resources Command,” Whitford said. “We both can verify that this person is not in the Army’s database.”

The Army Human Resources Command is “looking into this as a possible hoax,” he said.

Costello is not employed as a contractor in Iraq, U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, R-4th District, said.

Lt. Troy Jones of the Stamford Fire Department told The Advocate of Stamford on Thursday that Costello was killed Sunday while serving with the Army in Iraq. Jones said the department was notified by Costello’s mother.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_kia_hoax_071130/