Missing Fort Drum soldier, 23, is found shot dead after being 'kidnapped by fellow soldier, 20, and driven 270 miles from New York to New Jersey following argument over a pickup truck'

 A missing 20-year-old Fort Drum soldier in upstate New York has been shot dead in New Jersey and another soldier from the Army base has been arrested in connection to his death.

Cpl. Hayden Harris, 20, was found dead with a gunshot wound in a wooded area of Byram Township, New Jersey on Saturday.

Harris, who was from Guys, Tennessee, was last heard from late Thursday into early Friday after he left Fort Drum for Watertown, New York for a 'vehicle transaction'.

Soldier Jamaal Mellish, 23, who he was slated to meet for 'some type of vehicle exchange', was arrested in connection to his death in New York over the weekend. 

The two soldiers had met to discuss a disagreement over a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, according to Gregory Mueller, first assistant prosecutor in Sussex County, New Jersey, where the body was found.  

Authorities believe Mellish abducted Harris, drove him 270 miles in the Chevy Silverado from Watertown to Byram County, New Jersey and killed him. It was not clear why the encounter had turned deadly. 

Missing Fort Drum soldier Cpl. Hayden Harris, 20, was found dead on Saturday suffering a gunshot wound in Byram Township, New Jersey

Missing Fort Drum soldier Cpl. Hayden Harris, 20, was found dead on Saturday suffering a gunshot wound in Byram Township, New Jersey

This map shows the distance between Fort Drum in upstate New York to Byram Township, New Jersey

This map shows the distance between Fort Drum in upstate New York to Byram Township, New Jersey

A third person, a juvenile whose involvement in the attack is still under investigation, was also in the truck, Meuller said, according to the New York Times

Mellish is expected to be charged with murder, kidnapping and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes on Monday, then extradited to New Jersey. 

After Harris was last heard from between 8pm Thursday and 6.30am Friday, the Army issued a public plea for information on Saturday.

He was last seen driving a red 2016 Ford Mustang with Tennessee license plates, according to Army Facebook posts. 

On Saturday members of the Byram Township fire department were doing work on Ross Road when they saw a pair of shoes, blood, and paperwork and contacted police. 

Responding officers then found Harris in a nearby wooded area, Mueller said, as per NJ.com.  


He was last heard from late Thursday into early Friday after he left Fort Drum for Watertown, New York going to meet fellow soldier Jamaal Mellish, 23, for a 'vehicle transaction'. Authorities believe Mellish abducted Harris, drove him from Watertown to Byram County, New Jersey and killed him

He was last heard from late Thursday into early Friday after he left Fort Drum for Watertown, New York going to meet fellow soldier Jamaal Mellish, 23, for a 'vehicle transaction'. Authorities believe Mellish abducted Harris, drove him from Watertown to Byram County, New Jersey and killed him

Harris was last heard from between 8pm Thursday and 6.30am Friday and the Army public plea for information on Saturday. He was driving a red 2016 Ford Mustang with Tennessee license plates - from his home state (above)

Harris was last heard from between 8pm Thursday and 6.30am Friday and the Army public plea for information on Saturday. He was driving a red 2016 Ford Mustang with Tennessee license plates - from his home state (above)

Harris joined the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in July 2019 and an infantryman with the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

Before that he trained at Fort Benning, Georgia.

'It is well known here that Corporal Harris was a great Soldier, and we share our grief with his friends and Family, I hear again and again how he was also - and most importantly - a really wonderful, caring person,'  Brigadier Gen. Brett Funck, acting commander for Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division, said in a statement.

'His death is a tremendous loss for his loved ones, this division and our nation,' he added. 

Funck praised Harris' teammates, who reported him missing soon after they didn't hear back from him.

'I'm proud of their quick action and hope they can find some comfort in knowing they ultimately helped law enforcement officers located Cpl. Harris and greatly empowered the investigation into his disappearance,' he said.

'It is well known here that Corporal Harris was a great Soldier, and we share our grief with his friends and Family, I hear again and again how he was also - and most importantly - a really wonderful, caring person,' Brigadier Gen. Brett Funck, acting commander for Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division, said in a statement

'It is well known here that Corporal Harris was a great Soldier, and we share our grief with his friends and Family, I hear again and again how he was also - and most importantly - a really wonderful, caring person,' Brigadier Gen. Brett Funck, acting commander for Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division, said in a statement

Harris joined the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in July 2019 and an infantryman with the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Before that he trained at Fort Benning, Georgia

Harris joined the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in July 2019 and an infantryman with the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Before that he trained at Fort Benning, Georgia

Harris was promoted from specialist to corporal following his death.

Fort Drum is located near the Canadian border, around 80 miles north of Syracuse. 

An investigation into the death of Cpl. Hayden Allen Harris is ongoing and foul play is suspected, the Criminal Investigation Command (CID) said in a news release

'We are working very closely with several law enforcement agencies, to include Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Sussex County Prosecutors Office, and the Byram Township Police Department on this investigation. We greatly appreciate their work on this ongoing case,' Chris Grey, Spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Command said.  

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