A fellow sailor has been charged in the April 28 death of U.S. Navy sailor Lyndon Joel “LJ” Cosgriff-Flax of Wichita, who was originally thought to have died in training exercise when he went overboard.
“The sailor, who will remain unnamed until charges have been referred, has been charged with negligent homicide in the death of … Cosgriff-Flax, making a false official statement, and two counts of dereliction of duty,” the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs Office said in a Nov. 25 news release.
Being “referred” is a step in the military judicial process.
The office did not respond to additional questions Wednesday.
The incident happened just after 8 p.m. at the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Yorktown, Virginia, when a harbor security boat team assigned to the base was conducting security boat training, a spokesperson for the naval base previously said.
“Cosgriff-Flax accidentally fell overboard resulting in fatal injuries,” the spokesperson previously said.
Cosgriff-Flax, who had enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August 2021, had an interest in law enforcement ever since taking a related elective class while attending Eisenhower High School in Goddard, where he had graduated from, according to his obituary.
After high school, he attended Fort Hays State University on a wrestling scholarship. He competed in four events at the 285-pound class during his freshman year, according to his FHSU bio.
“LJ was a kind, loyal, hard-working, humble person with a love of the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing,” his obituary says. “Many memories of hunting doves, waterfowl, deer, and turkey as well as gigging frogs and fishing were made with his father, brothers, uncles, cousins, and friends. LJ was especially fond of turkey hunting, and he spent many spring days doing so with his father.”
Andrew Brice, Cosgriff-Flax’s roommate and fellow sailor, spoke during a July 15 memorial.
“We would talk about video games and getting new ones at the NEX. We would talk about computers and easy mods we could do with his toolsets. We had everything in common,” Brice said. “To me, Lyndon was more than just my roommate. He was my brother who shared laughter and late-night conversations. We shared a bond that only those who serve side by side can understand.”
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