A hearing will be held Tuesday for a 31-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier accused of killing a civilian contractor in Iraq last fall.

Spc. Beyshee Velez—assigned to the 3rd Bronco Brigade Combat Team's Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery—is accused of shooting Lucas “;Trent”; Vinson with an M-4 carbine on Sept. 13. He was on his third Iraqi combat deployment.

Vinson, 27, had been working for Houston-based KBR when he was killed.

Velez has been in the Army for 10 years and with the 25th Infantry Division since 2005.

He is charged with two counts of murder, one count of trying to elude Air Force security forces at Contingency Operating Base Speicher and three counts of assault. The Army said that although Velez has been charged with two different counts of murder, he could be convicted of only one of the two murder specifications.

Lt. Col. Payton Sims, the investigating officer assigned to the Article 32 hearing, the Army's version of a preliminary hearing, will review all evidence and make recommendations on the disposition of the charges. Sims will send his recommendations to Maj. Gen. Bernard Champoux, who will replace Maj. Gen. Robert Caslen as commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division on Friday. Champoux will determine whether a court-martial will be convened.

Murder carries a maximum sentence of a dishonorable discharge and life confinement. Assault with a deadly weapon carries a maximum sentence of dishonorable discharge and eight years' confinement. Fleeing apprehension carries a maximum sentence of a bad-conduct discharge and one year of confinement.

Vinson's family was told by Army officials that he was shot three times after picking up a soldier who flagged down his vehicle at Speicher near Tikrit.

Velez deployed to Iraq from August 2006 to October 2007 with the 25th Infantry's 3rd Brigade and returned to Iraq in 2008 with the brigade.