BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- There are new allegations about why an Iraqi soldier killed two U.S. soldiers in Iraq, including Sgt. Benjamin Portell of Bakersfield.

Several Internet reports have stated that the reason the Iraqi soldier turned on his American counterparts was because one of the soldiers was allegedly beating a pregnant woman near the northern city of Mosul.

According to the Washington Post, the allegation comes from an anti-American Sunni group. The group is said to have released a statement Saturday night claiming the Iraqi soldier, identified as Kaissar Saady al-Juboory, shot Portell, Capt. Rowdy Inman and three others because they were beating a pregnant woman.

The Washington Post said a U.S. military official flatly denied the accusations, saying there was no indication of any kind of abuse on Iraqi civilians. Officials said al-Juboory shot U.S. soldiers without any clear motivation.

On Saturday, Iraqi and then U.S. military officials in Iraq, announced that al-Juboory killed Portell and Inman. They then said that the Iraqi soldier had ties to militant groups.

On Monday, ABC23 spoke with the public affairs official from the Army's criminal investigative division based out of Virginia. He confirmed the Army is investigating, but would not comment further as it is an ongoing investigation.

Brian Murphy, who is the Portell family's pastor said the family hopes people will be skeptical of the report.

Murphy also said the accusations are simply a ploy to make U.S. soldiers look bad.