Gay sailor's death called a 'hate killing'

Gay activists are demanding answers from the Navy after an openly gay sailor was found dead early Tuesday in a guard shack at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., a victim of what gay rights groups are calling a “hate killing.”

Navy investigators confirmed they considered the death of Boatswain’s Mate Seaman August Provost, 29, a homicide, but they would not confirm that Provost’s sexuality was a factor in his death.

Officials said a “person of interest” was being detained in the brig at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in connection with Provost’s death, but he was not identified, not considered a formal suspect and had not been charged with a crime. A Navy spokeswoman said she did not have information about whether the “person of interest” was a Marine or other service member.

A Navy announcement said investigators had completed an autopsy on Provost’s body, but would not determine an official cause of death until they received the results of toxicology tests.

See Gay sailor's death called a 'hate killing' NavyTimes.com