Army specialist from Naples charged with murder after death of wife at Hawaii base

A mother and veteran died in Hawaii, leaving behind her one-year-old baby. Now, her husband is accused of killing her.

Raul Hernandez Perez from Naples is now in custody in Hawaii. WINK News spoke to the victim’s sister about who she was.

Selena Roth was always serving.

“She was very kindhearted. She was definitely an animal lover, that was your happy place in life. Saving and rescuing animals right down to crocheted blankets for chickens,” said her sister Aubrey.

Aubrey said her sister’s willingness to serve in the Army led her to Hawaii.

“She was spunky and sassy, what little sister is it? She joined the army because I was navy. She always had to do the opposite,” she said.

Aubrey, Selena and their mom communicated constantly until January when her phone went silent.

“She would never let her phone go dead. And I put in a welfare check,” said Aubrey.

Hours later they found the young mom dead. “I can tell you that her murder was so horrific and brutal, we could not even have a viewing of her body,” she said.

Losing a sister was hard enough for her but losing a sister that way, could not have hurt more.

“She had a one-year-old daughter. she left behind. And her daughter was her world,” Aubrey said.

Selena’s husband, though they had filed for divorce, was Army Specialist Raul Hernandez Perez. He’s now being accused of taking Selena’s life.

“The worst, devastating. I can’t even put into words. She was our baby sister. She was only 25. This was completely a senseless murder,” said Aubrey.

But, keeping Selena’s cause alive is most important. “Just to always help others. If you can, if you have the ability to help somebody. You should always stop and help them,” she said.

Selena may be gone but her family is fighting for her voice to live on. “Even if the people around you don’t believe in the cause. If you believe in something, you should fight for it,” said Aubrey.

According to the Army, a trial date has not yet been set for Hernandez Perez. Selena’s family wants people to know that when she was alive, she fought against domestic violence and sexual trauma in the military.