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.

[maggief]

When was the last time Laurean was spotted by someone other than his wife?

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I think if she was raped in April, tested in May, it was too early to show a pregnancy. This completely would coincide with the expected dates of delivery in late Jan/early Feb.

[debm29palms]

It sounded like the MC was not treating Laurean as a “rapist” yet. They were waiting for DNA. So he must have thought the baby was really his, right? Otherwise, why go to the extent of killing someone????

[najida]

Killing her was about the baby (why else tell folks his wife was pregnant?)

This is going to make one hell of a story when it’s all over.

[debm29palms]

Yes, it does. 40 weeks.

[NCjim]

Also, if she were not sexually active but was raped, then ended up pregnant, it does not take Einstein to figure who the father was. Of course these days that first condition can be a stretch. Not throwing rocks at her by any means...

[debm29palms]

The truck could not have been there for three weeks. How would he be getting around? He was showing up at work, right?

[Girlene]

When was the last time Laurean was spotted by someone other than his wife?

One of the chatty neighbors talked about three fires in the back yard: Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Eve. That hasn't been three weeks.

More from 6abc talking about the autopsy.

"Dr. Charles Garrett, the Onslow County medical examiner, said Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant when she vanished, died from "traumatic head injury due to blunt force trauma.""..

The autopsy did not answer all the questions about the circumstances of Lauterbach's death, said county prosecutor Dewey Hudson. Detectives are still not sure if she gave birth before her slaying, he said."...

[najida]

Well, DNA will show who’s baby it is.

[IamHD]

Military is saying that Maria had 2 sexual encounters with Laurean....one on march 21 (or 26th, I can't remember) and one on april 11th. She (according to military) told them that her pregnancy was not the result of a rape.

I'm confused and my head is ready to explode.

[Girlene]

The truck could not have been there for three weeks. How would he be getting around? He was showing up at work, right?

The truck thing throws a big twist in this. Hello, chatty neighbor - show up, and confirm or deny. Three weeks ago would have been the Christmas time frame.

[debm29palms]

He was showing up at work/getting around up until Friday.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

How did Laurean get to work for the last three weeks?

[NCjim]

WRAL has updated their story:

Motel clerk Sherrie Joyner said the truck had been in the parking lot since Monday. She said she doesn't remember seeing Laurean at the motel.

Onslow County investigators were headed to Morrisville Tuesday evening to seize the truck and return it to Jacksonville to be searched for evidence.

[NCjim]

This is turning into a situation where the letters C and F come to mind...

[Girlene]

Is this what she told them? March 20 something and April 11? Why would she tell her family she was scared of him and that it was a rape? Was she more afraid of her superiors in the military to accuse him? If they’re saying it wasn’t the result of rape, then why issue the MPO? Why talk about having an Article 32? You don’t have one of those with consensual sex. These reports from the Marines don't make any sense.

[Sue Perkick]

Detectives are still not sure if she gave birth before her slaying, he said."...

Oh my goodness. I don't think we've seen the extent of the evil attached to this yet.

[Girlene]

Truck had been in the parking lot since Monday, not three weeks? Well, that makes more sense.

[najida]

Craz’d and ‘fuzed? ;)

[IamHD]

Military guy is saying that’s what Maria told them. The 1st encounter was consensual and happened on base. The 2nd encounter in April happened on base, during work, in the office! Military said that Maria told them that Maria told Laurean to stop, and he did, but then she reported it as rape. Weird! Also, they aren’t 100% certain that Maria wrote the note that was left at her home/apt. that her roommate found. The doo-doo is getting deep.