Air Force investigators probe death of Eglin airman found in burned vehicle on base range

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is investigating the death of Senior Airman Tamera Moniq Bolden-Cleckley, a 26-year-old medical airman whose body was found inside a burned vehicle on Eglin Air Force Base in the early morning of Wednesday, Sept. 23. More than a week later, the Air Force has not released a cause of death or any details about how she died, and friends of the airman say they are still looking for answers.

The case has drawn attention across Northwest Florida and in her Texas hometown because of the circumstances of the discovery and the limited information released so far. Eglin officials have asked the public to avoid speculation out of respect for her family.

What the Air Force has said

The vehicle was found around 4:30 a.m. near the intersection of Range Road 234 and Lewis Turner Boulevard, according to Eglin officials. The location sits outside Eglin's main base but inside the Eglin Test and Training Range Complex, which is federal Department of the Air Force property.

Initial reports from the base said a routine early morning patrol by the 96th Security Forces Squadron found the deceased. A later account in the Boerne Star, citing the Air Force, said an Eglin employee found the car and notified law enforcement. Patrols from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and the 96th Security Forces Squadron responded, and the scene was turned over to the Office of Special Investigations, according to WEAR-TV.

On the day of the discovery, Eglin said next-of-kin notifications were underway and urged the public to avoid "premature conclusions and speculation" out of respect for the family. The Air Force Medical Examiner later identified the remains as Bolden-Cleckley, and the Air Force released her name over the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27.

Early reports from WEAR-TV described the case as under investigation by both OSI and the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office; later Air Force statements identified OSI as the agency handling the case. The Office of Special Investigations has said that no further information will be released at this time, according to the Boerne Star. The base has not said whether foul play is suspected, WEAR-TV reported.

Who she was

Bolden-Cleckley was from Boerne, Texas, a city northwest of San Antonio, where television stations and the local newspaper have followed the case since her identification. She entered the Air Force in 2021 and was assigned to the 96th Surgical Operations Squadron at Eglin as a diagnostic imaging specialist, a job also known as radiology technician, according to the Air Force.

Col. Chris Keithley, commander of the 96th Test Wing, said in a statement that Bolden-Cleckley "was a valued member" of the 96th Test Wing team and extended condolences to her family and colleagues.

Col. Daniel Micsunescu, commander of the 96th Surgical Operations Squadron, said in a statement released by the base that he wanted to extend his deepest condolences to her family, friends and all those who knew and cared for her.

Friends seek answers

Kathleen Langley, who met Bolden-Cleckley during basic training in 2021, told WEAR-TV that her friend was "Just a free spirit" who was easy to get along with and someone others could lean on.

Langley said the lack of information has been hard to accept and that she wants to know what happened. She told the station the case has stirred strong emotions for her about whether women, and especially Black women, are protected.

The Air Force and local agencies are offering counseling to family members, friends and co-workers through the Air Force Casualty Assistance Office, the Employee Assistance Program and the base Chaplain's Office.

Timeline of the case

Public information released so far follows this sequence:

The unit and the base

The 96th Surgical Operations Squadron is part of the 96th Medical Group, which runs the hospital at Eglin, a teaching hospital with graduate medical programs in family practice and general dentistry, and provides care to active-duty service members, military retirees and their families across the Emerald Coast. The medical group falls under the 96th Test Wing, Eglin's host unit, which conducts developmental testing and evaluation of Air Force weapons and supports the other organizations on the installation.

Eglin, in Okaloosa County near Valparaiso, covers about 724 square miles, making it the largest Air Force base by land area. Much of that land is the range complex where the vehicle was found, a network of test and training areas connected by range roads that stretches across parts of Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties. The base employs about 4,500 military members and more than 8,500 civilians, and it is home to major tenant units including the 33rd Fighter Wing, the 53rd Wing and the Army's 7th Special Forces Group.

Because the death happened on federal Air Force property, the Office of Special Investigations, the service's federal law enforcement agency, is leading the inquiry. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene alongside base security forces.

Funeral plans

An online obituary posted by Emerald Coast Funeral Home and Reception Center in Fort Walton Beach lists a funeral service for Bolden-Cleckley at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, at Leevy's Funeral Home Chapel in Columbia, South Carolina, followed by burial at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia at 1 p.m. The obituary spells her middle name as Monique; the Air Force's release used Moniq.

What's next

The investigation remains open, and the Air Force has not said when it expects to release a cause or manner of death or any findings. No base memorial service had been publicly announced as of Sunday, Oct. 4.

The Florida Press will update this story as the Air Force or other agencies release more information.