JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The Marine corporal wanted in the slaying of a pregnant colleague who had accused him of rape is likely no longer on the run and has probably gone into hiding, authorities said Tuesday.
"It is believed that he has reached a location where his need to move in high speed or long distance no longer exists," said Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown.
Brown declined to discuss details, including whether detectives believe Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean had successfully crossed the border into Mexico.
Authorities believe Laurean fled Jacksonville early Friday morning, after leaving a note in which he admitted burying the body of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her December disappearance and death. He is the subject of a wide-ranging manhunt that includes a $25,000 reward and billboards with his picture posted in cities nationwide.
Meanwhile, authorities said Tuesday that state medical examiner have confirmed that the remains recovered from Laurean's backyard over the weekend where those of Lauterbach and her unborn child. Dr. Charles Garrett, the Onslow County medical examiner, said Lauterbach died from "tramatic head injury due to blunt force trauma."
In his note, Laurean alleged that Lauterbach committed suicide by cutting her own throat. Brown has consistantly rejected that idea, blood spatters on the ceiling and a massive amount of blood on the wall found inside Laurean's home as signs of a violent confrontation.
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) -- Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach had a protective order against the fellow Marine accused of killing her, but the order expired in September, military records show.
Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, 20, last spoke to relatives in the Dayton, Ohio, area on December 14.
Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean signed the agreement on June 26. It expired September 24. Lauterbach had accused Laurean of raping her.
In the military protective order, Laurean is forbidden from contacting Lauterbach in any manner, including through a third party, and ordered to stay at least 1,000 feet from her.
The order also shows Lauterbach and Laurean worked in the same unit at Camp Lejeune.
The search for Laurean continued Tuesday as the FBI posted his image on electronic billboards across the country. A $25,000 reward is offered for information leading to his capture.
Authorities say Laurean killed Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant, on or about December 15, a day after she was last seen by her roommate.
Lauterbach's family in Ohio reported her missing on December 19.
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Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said Monday he expected Laurean was getting help in hiding and asked friends or family to turn in the Marine corporal if he makes contact.
"I would imagine he's getting help ... even though he's committed this horrible crime, he's still got friends," Brown said.
Laurean, 21, of Nevada, is believed to have been driving a black Dodge pickup with North Carolina license plate TRR1522.
The sheriff described the 5-foot, 9-inch tall, 160-pound Laurean as "dangerous," especially if cornered.
A warrant for Laurean's arrest on murder charges was issued last weekend. The FBI said Monday it has also obtained a federal warrant for Laurean's arrest on charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Brown said the military protection order was not shared with civilian law enforcement.
"We had no reason to be on his trail," Brown said of Laurean. "This has nothing to do with the civilian world. Nothing about this had anything to do with the civilian world."
Brown said police learned Laurean's name January 7.
The Marines are investigating what information Lauterbach's superiors had and what steps were taken regarding the case, the Marine Corps said in a statement released Sunday evening.
Military officials have said Laurean was not taken into custody after Lauterbach reported the alleged rape because there was information the two carried on "some sort of friendly relationship" after she filed the complaint.
"The information ... leads us to believe that she still had some kind of contact" with him, said Paul Ciccarelli, agent in charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service field office at Camp Lejeune.