Ex-Guantanamo commander charged with hindering death probe

A former commander of the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay was arrested Wednesday on charges that he interfered with the investigation into the death of a civilian with whom he fought after an argument over whether the officer had had an affair with the man's wife.

Navy Capt John R Nettleton remains on active duty, but he was removed from command shortly after civilian Christopher Tur was found floating in January 2015 in the waters off the base on the southeastern coast of Cuba.

Nettleton was accused in a federal indictment of obstruction of justice and concealing material facts, including that he and Tur had brawled, in an alcohol-fuelled encounter at a base nightclub, after Tur accused the commander of having the affair.

Nettleton denied to his superior officer and others that he had the affair, but investigators later determined that it had happened, according to an indictment issued in Jacksonville, Florida, where Nettleton has been on temporary duty.

Tur's older brother, Michael, welcomed the indictment. Nettleton is "facing some serious felony charges," he said.

"It's not a homicide charge, but he's facing some serious jail time."
Around that time, a friend of Tur's reported getting a call from him in which Tur said he was at Nettleton's house and had "just knocked the skipper out."