Spc. Peyton D. Creel has pleaded not guilty to military charges after an infant son was shot and killed at Fort Leavenworth on April 28, 2026. The U.S. Army's Special Trial Counsel has filed one specification of murder and one of involuntary manslaughter; a court-martial is scheduled for January 2027. An online obituary identifies the child as James Philip 'J.P.' Creel and includes family tributes and photos.
Army Specialist Pleads Not Guilty After Infant Son's April Shooting Death — Court-Martial Set for Jan. 2027
A gavel rests on the judge’s bench in the courtroom of the 39th Air Base Wing legal office at Nov. 14, 2019, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. (Staff Sgt. Joshua Magbanua/Air Force)
Spc. Peyton D. Creel pleaded not guilty last week to military charges tied to the April shooting death of his infant son at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Creel is assigned to the Combined Arms Command Law Enforcement Activity, Special Troops Battalion, at Fort Leavenworth.
Allegations and Legal Timeline
The U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel says Creel faces one specification of murder and one specification of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death on April 28, 2026, at his residence on Fort Leavenworth. A court-martial is scheduled for January 2027.
'SPC Peyton Creel is charged with one specification of murder and one specification of involuntary manslaughter for the murder of his infant child on April 28, 2026, at his residence on Fort Leavenworth,' said Michelle McCaskill, Director of Communications for the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
The Special Trial Counsel's office emphasized the charges are allegations and that Creel is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. A charge sheet provided by that office shows Creel enlisted in December 2021 for a five-year term.
Family and Community Details
The child's name was redacted on official documents, but an online obituary identifies the infant as James Philip 'J.P.' Creel, born Sept. 29, 2025, and listed as having died April 28, 2026. The obituary includes personal tributes describing J.P.'s fondness for FaceTiming with grandparents, delight in banging keyboard keys, and an unusual attraction to the television series 'Bones.' Photographs accompanying the tribute show family members embracing and doting on the baby.
What Happens Next
Creel will face a court-martial in January 2027, where military judges and procedures will determine whether the allegations are proven. The Army's public statements to date are limited to the charges and procedural timeline.
Note: This article reports on allegations and identified public records; no determination of guilt has been made.
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