In what should have been a night of camaraderie between friends and fellow U.S. Navy sailors, 25-year-old Kristopher Klubert lost his life. On the evening of March 9, 2013, in Norfolk, Virginia, Klubert was with his shipmate and friend, Austin T. Greening, at Greening's apartment. The two were spending their time playing video games, just hours before they were scheduled to deploy on the USS Carter Hall.
The friendly atmosphere took a tragic turn when firearms were introduced into their activities.
As they were handling several guns, Greening, who was 22 at the time, shot Klubert in the face. The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. at the Pinewood Gardens Apartments. In the initial 911 call, Greening claimed that Klubert had accidentally shot himself. However, the investigation that followed told a different story, leading to Greening's arrest.
Austin T. Greening was initially charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a murder. In March 2014, a civilian court convicted him of these charges. However, the legal journey was far from over. In 2015, a plea agreement was reached, amending the charge to involuntary manslaughter, to which Greening pleaded guilty. This resulted in a three-year jail sentence, with a significant portion suspended, requiring him to serve six months.
The case was unique as it also moved through the military justice system. Upon his release from civilian custody, Greening was taken into custody by military officials and faced charges including unpremeditated murder. In a military court, he ultimately pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and obstruction of justice. This led to a sentence of three and a half years in the brig, a military prison. The dual court proceedings aimed to bring a sense of justice for a life cut short in a moment of what was described as a dispute over a video game.
