Two U.S. Army deserters, Rainor Joiner, 23, and David Degroat, 22, have been charged with the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a fellow soldier, 25-year-old Matthew McLaughlin, a West Virginia man they had served with at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Taos County Sheriff’s Office brought in Joiner and Degroat, who were McLaughlin’s roommates, for questioning on August 17 after McLaughlin was reported missing on July 31.
Disturbingly, the two men already had active warrants from the Army for desertion, and now they face charges of first-degree murder and “other violent felonies” after Joiner’s shocking confession. In a newly released video, Joiner chillingly detailed to deputies how he shot McLaughlin on July 25, before going on to dismember the body and scattering the remains along U.S. Highway 64. Joiner initially tried to spin a story, claiming he had brought McLaughlin to New Mexico to help him deal with substance abuse issues.
Still, he told deputies that McLaughlin kept using drugs, brought strangers back to the house, and was spreading rumors about him. The reasons he gave for taking a life seem incredibly petty, which makes the whole thing even more disturbing. Even Prince William and BTS served in the military, but these two not only left, they brought disgrace by killing a fellow soldier.
Army deserters bring more shame to themselves
The moment he decided to pull the trigger seemed almost random, at least according to his own words. When asked about the shooting, Joiner simply stated that McLaughlin “said something, and I just f****** shot him.” He tried to claim the murder wasn’t planned out, but court documents and the statement from his accomplice, Degroat, paint a different, much darker picture.
Degroat stated he tried to convince his fellow deserter not to kill McLaughlin multiple times, only to be threatened himself if he didn’t help. This sounds like a planned ambush, not a random crime of passion. In fact, court documents indicate the pair ambushed McLaughlin, telling Degroat to help McLaughlin bring groceries to the house from a nearby dirt road before the attack. TCSO Undersheriff Gabriel Ortiz confirmed the horrifying details, saying Joiner confessed to a prolonged act of violence over multiple days.
Army deserter David Degroat admits to helping dismember Matthew McGlaughlin out of fear, as he faces murder and conspiracy charges in the case. Law&Crime’s Chris Stewart is On the Case. pic.twitter.com/Od1LTsw0Hx
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 29, 2025
Ortiz stated that Joiner “admitted he shot the individual with a rifle and then again with a pistol, then, subsequent days later, he continued to dismember the victim.” This is just horrific to even read. Perhaps the most unsettling part of the whole confession is the lack of humanity. Undersheriff Ortiz described Joiner’s reaction to confessing to murder and dismemberment as completely devoid of emotion.
“The individual was very much non-remorseful. No emotions, just a kind of blank face, and told them [deputies] exactly what he did and didn’t have any emotions at all,” Ortiz told KOAT. It’s hard to imagine being so dispassionate while detailing such a brutal, violent act against someone you knew and served with.
