The former commander of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay was found guilty of serious crimes connected to the death of his lover’s husband, who had confronted him shortly before being found drowned.
Navy Capt. John Nettleton, 54, was found guilty of six charges stemming from the 2015 death of a civilian employee based at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. He was convicted of obstruction of justice, concealment of material facts, falsification of records, and making false statements.
In 2015, the body of Christopher Tur was found floating in the water near the base. An autopsy determined that Tur suffered injuries prior to his drowning. Nettleton failed to tell investigators that the day before Tur was reported missing, he confronted Nettleton and accused him of having an affair with his wife.
Nettleton also did not tell investigators that the night before Tur went missing, the two got into a fight at Nettleton’s residence that left Tur injured. Throughout the investigation, Nettleton concealed details about the affair and the fight.
During the trial, Nettleton admitted to having sex with Tur’s wife in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2014.
Tur’s sister, Aline Burns, told WJXT that her family has been waiting for justice in her brother’s death for years.
“Christopher was an amazing father, brother, son and husband and friend,” Burns said. “We miss him every day. This has been an emotionally draining, traumatic time for our family.”
“While this trial has come to an end, it’s not over. We will not stop until we have answers to the hard questions, until we know what happened to Christopher,” she added.
Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Brian Benczkowski said that Friday’s verdict showed the Justice Department’s “commitment to holding accountable those who abuse their positions of public trust.”
“Capt. Nettleton dishonored his oath and impeded the investigation into a civilian’s tragic death, preventing much-needed closure for the family and friends of the deceased,” Benczkowski said.
A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
