Posted on 01/11/2008 9:43:08 AM PST by Pyro7480
January 11, 2008)--Authorities in North Carolina said late Friday morning pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach is dead.
They said she’s buried in a shallow grave, for which investigators are now searching.
They identified the suspect in the case as a Marine officer whom she accused of sexually assaulting her.
Police earlier were planning to interview a man who lived with her and said he would answer questions that "will shed a lot of light on the case."
Authorities said again Friday Marine Sgt. Daniel Durham isn't a suspect, but police believe he's the last person to speak with the Marine.
She disappeared Dec. 14 ahead of her expected testimony in a military investigation into her claim a senior officer had sexually assaulted her.
Court documents show the investigation went sour amid inconsistencies in the woman's story and allegations that she's bipolar and a compulsive liar.
Search warrants show she was facing a possible discharge from the service.
Lauterbach was eight months pregnant when she disappeared.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/11/missing.marine/?iref=mpstoryview
Blood, possible grave of pregnant Marine found at suspect’s house
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) — Police believe they have found the remains of a missing Marine buried in the backyard of the prime suspect in the case and blood spatter evidence inside his home, authorities said Friday evening.
Tests found the “trace of violent activity in the house” and “evidence of an attempted cleanup,” said Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown.
Investigators are treating the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach as a murder, Brown added.
Lauterbach, 20 — who was eight months pregnant — was reported missing from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, by her mother December 19.
Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, whom Lauterbach had accused of rape, is the suspected killer, and is being sought, Brown said.
He confirmed that Laurean had left a note, but did not divulge what it said.
Investigators told CNN, however, that Laurean left a note to his wife saying Lauterbach had committed suicide and that he buried the body.
“Evidence now is saying what he’s claiming happened did not happen like he said it happened,” Brown said.
Authorities searching Laurean’s home found a cavity in his backyard earlier Friday.
(snip)
Brown said a witness came forward Friday morning with a statement and evidence that convinced authorities Lauterbach was dead. Brown wouldn’t name the witness, or describe Lauterbach’s cause of death, except to say she died “from an injury.”
Asked whether the witness was in protective custody, Brown said the person does not feel the need for protective custody, as Laurean likely left the county and possibly the state.
A source close to the investigation told CNN the witness is Laurean’s wife.
Lauterbach’s relatives believe the pregnancy was the result of the alleged rape, Steiner said.
(snip)
Thanks maggie.
I really have to get a life and stop obsessing on these criminal cases. Swallowed up in Anna Nicole Smith, Drew Peterson etc., etc., an epidemic.
Remember this young couple?
http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/tv_programme/117/Snapped_Diane_Zamora.htm
After her boyfriend cheats on her, a promising young Annapolis cadet demands he make amends by helping her murder the “other woman.”
Allegedly raped, dead, and burned on NCIS’s watch.
Found this on Gretawire.
Poster says it’s Laurean’s wife’s myspace account. ???
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=79006569
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2292339/
Authorities Doubt Claims Pregnant Marine Killed Herself
Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach
Posted: Today at 6:24 a.m.
Updated: 21 minutes ago
Jacksonville — A Marine sought in connection with the death of a comrade told authorities in a note that the pregnant Marine, who has been missing for nearly a month, committed suicide.
But Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said late Friday evidence suggests that Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach was killed.
A nationwide search was being conducted for Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, who authorities believe might be involved in Lauterbach’s death.
Lauterbach, 20, a member of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, was reported missing on Dec. 19. She was 8½ months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.
A unidentified witness delivered a note to Onslow County authorities early Friday in which Laurean claimed that he had buried Lauterbach in his yard after she committed suicide, Brown said. The note said Lauterbach had “come to his residence and cut her (own) throat,” Brown said.
Brown said blood spatters were found several areas inside Laurean’s home, including the garage. Someone had tried to clean up the scene and even painted over some of the blood, he said.
Investigators have not determined if the blood is that of Lauterbach, he said, but added that he was treating the case as a murder, not a suicide.
“Evidence now is showing that what he claimed happened didn’t happen,” Brown said.
(snip)
Holy!!!
So is she really pregnant as of January 11,???
Where is the Lautenbach baby?
Nothing confirmed about the remains - whether they include an unborn child or a newborn.
This is so outrageous - will just wait for the story to unfold and stop speculating.
Kindest
sod
I can’t confirm it is Christina’s myspace, but if true it certainly adds another twist.
Lance Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean
There was an article in my local weekly newspaper (suburban/rural county news) about a football player at a nearby university. The 21-year-old man and his 19-year-old wife killed his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend because the wife was jealous of her.
“The 21-year-old man and his 19-year-old wife killed his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend because the wife was jealous of her.”
I read about that. I remember thinking “well gee...that ought to be helpful to their relationship!
Kill the competition and move on - no sweat!”
The couple have a baby, too.
They all seem to be South Carolina residents (we’re just a few miles from the state line). I don’t know what the details on age-of-consent are in SC, but if the younger girl was pregnant, the man could have been facing statutory rape charges, which would blow his football career.
” the man could have been facing statutory rape charges, which would blow his football career.”
It always mystifies me that they don’t stop and think “ahh...but murder charges wouldn’t just ruin my football career - but the rest of my life as well”
They seem to think they’ll get away with murder. (I guess they don’t read mystery novels ...)
The victim’s body was burned and hidden, just like the Marine girl’s.
What a sad situation. She’s is/was just a bubblehead young girl who probably didn’t stay on her meds or didn’t know she needed meds. This guy strung her along for months and would not commit to a bone-fide relationship... cute girl, so sad.
No worries - Thank you.
Suuuuurrrre......
How sad...he couldn’t get away with statutory rape, or having an affair, but he’s going to pull of a murder undetected.
Yeah...somebody hasn’t been watching csi.
My daughter sees these stories and says, “I’ll just have cats!”
“My daughter sees these stories and says, “I’ll just have cats!””
the trick is to find a guy who doesn’t have the morals of an alley cat.
Those guys can usually be found at church.
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