Missing (Pregnant) Marine Dead, Authorities Say

KWTX ^ | 1/11/2008 | n/a

[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.

[pandoraou812]

Fred is mentally ill & has basically brainwashed his children. I feel very bad for the young children. I read an expose on Fred Phelps that was very interesting.

goggle expose fred phelps

It will give you a good idea of the man.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

Seems like an MPO would only work if the person to be protected was on base and residing in a barracks.

[najida]

He’s mad as a hatter. Some people who are insane can be very sweet, gentle, harmless etc.

He’s the worst of all worlds.

[Girlene]

Night, freema.

Info from an AP report Search for suspect in pregnant Marine's killing grows as Ohio hometown mourns

........"Brown, who has rejected the idea that Lauterbach committed suicide, said late Monday that authorities had received a preliminary autopsy report on the remains, but he declined to discuss details, other than to say a gun was not used.

North Carolina is one of 15 states without a fetal homicide law, that allows for prosecution of people accused of killing a woman's fetus.

Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson said he has no plans to step aside in favor of a military prosecution for the Marine. Georgetown University law professor Gary Solis said local authorities have primary jurisdiction in the case.

"They have the crime scene and they have the physical evidence," Solis said. "The military would have secondary jurisdiction if the DA decided not to pursue the case."

That makes it unlikely that Laurean would be prosecuted under a federal fetal homicide law passed in 2004.

The federal law makes it a crime to harm a fetus during an assault on a pregnant woman, but the anti-abortion activists who pushed for it believe it has never been used - in part because murder cases are typically prosecuted in state courts.

The military could technically seek charges at the same time as civilian authorities, said Scott Silliman, a former military lawyer who is now director of the Center on Law, Ethics and National Security at Duke University. But a joint prosecution is not recommended by the military's manual for courts martial, Silliman said.

"As a matter of law, the military could prosecute him separately," Silliman said. "But as a matter of policy, it rarely happens and only in a very unusual set of circumstances."

In Lauterbach's hometown near Dayton, Ohio, hundreds of friends and neighbors offered prayers for her Monday evening. Relatives filed into a church for a prayer service and sat in the front row. "......

[pandoraou812]

Yes he sure is. So is his daughter Shirley.

[usmcobra]

If nothing else they can try him for desertion during wartime, which is a Capital offense.

[Girlene]

Now there’s a plan. I don’t know for sure, but I’m thinking the UCMJ could also try him for murder if he was acquitted in civilian court. I think there was a case recently where a guy was acquitted of murder in civilian court, but years later the military charged him again.

[StarCMC]

Oh my — prayers for your family USMCobra!

[StarCMC]

Oh but then they’d sue and say the police only protect the rich.

[BlueMoose]

MT HOME AB IDAHO

[sodpoodle]

Fox - Bill Hemmer reporting:
Interview with neighbor (who loaned Laurean a shovel early December)states that he saw three backyard fires on three separate occasions, Christmas eve, Christmas day and New Years. Also had friends over. Bonfires not unusual - everyone burns in that neighborhood.

Additionally, the neighbor’s wife was told by Mrs.Laurean that “they were painting the whole house & garage” and also saw Mrs. Laurean painting the garage.

[Sue Perkick]

Was there any mention that the body had been dismembered? Maybe he (they?) did it a little at a time. Might keep the smell from being so overwhelming. But the thing is NC had a burning ban at that time. Even if bonfires are common, someone should have at least reported that especially if it happened at least 3 separate times.

[sodpoodle]

“””NC had a burning ban at that time.”””

Which was lifted around Jan 2nd. Obviously, Laurean knew no-one would report *burning* - some neighbors just don’t snitch and this appears to be the case.

His yard was well protected by a fence - he had a pool full of water - and he was a *respected Marine officer* -just the kind of neighbor one would value rather than report to the County Fire dept.

[Titan Magroyne]

Thank you, Star. Any chance you’ll be coming down to Lejeune with the PGR?

[IamHD]

Interesting to possibly have two sociopaths in the same house. I wonder if the missus, at ANY time was wearing one of those pregnancy pillows? I hope they’re keeping an eye on her.

[sodpoodle]

Got so caught up with the *THREE* fires - failed to comment on the obvious involvement of Mrs. Laurean.

Do we know *absolutely* when cpl.Laurean was officially seen in Jacksonville? Is it possible that he had more than an 8 hour window to run? Because I don’t trust his missus.

[sodpoodle]

That is probably the *bizarre* component Sheriff Ed alluded to.

Strange that the corporal told colleagues his *wife* was pregnant. Was that the reason for Lauterbach’s fear? Had she heard the rumor and did she suspect a ruse or conspiracy? Did she even question that Christina was not pregnant?

I find the whole cavalier attitude toward the *rape* charges very disturbing. Seems as if Laurean was able to either laugh it off with his unit commander, or destroy Maria’s reputation enough to raise doubt on her charges. There’s a unit commander who is in serious trouble.

[Sue Perkick]

The only thing I’ve read is the neighbor’s claim from this thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1952108/posts?page=619#619

[SE Mom]

There’s about to be a live news conf- cause of death findings. Seems it was blunt force trauma- or that’s the speculation..