Army Ranger Charged With Beating, Killing Security Guard, Says He Blacked Out On 7/23/21 at 11:24 PM EDT A U.S. Army Ranger is being charged with first-degree murder following the death of a 26-year-old woman in Tacoma, Washington. He says he doesn't remember the attack, due to a blackout following a night of drinking. Patrick Phillip Byrne, who's stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, is accused of killing 42-year-old Denise Smith on July 18. He has plead not guilty. The attack took place at an office building in Downtown Tacoma. Byrne got into an altercation and was punched in the face while at a bar with friends, prosecutors said. He then went to the office building, where he allegedly attacked Smith while she was on duty as a security guard.