International officials also seeking Marine
JACKSONVILLE - Mexican officials have issued an arrest warrant for a Marine from Camp Lejeune accused of murdering a pregnant colleague, and international authorities also are searching for the fugitive, an FBI spokesman said Tuesday.
Newsom Summerlin, a spokesman for the FBI's Charlotte office, said Mexican officials Monday signed and issued a provisional arrest warrant for Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, 21.
He is charged with killing Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach in Jacksonville in mid-December.
"It's simply another step in the process that has to be followed," Summerlin said of the action.
Law enforcement agencies and the news media have reported that Laurean, a native of Mexico who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, apparently had been headed for Mexico and might have been seen there.
Summerlin said Laurean also is the subject of an international wanted persons notice.
"We've always said we strongly suspect, but have not confirmed, that he is in Mexico," Summerlin said.
Interpol, an international law enforcement organization based in Paris, issued a "red notice" for Laurean at the request of the Interpol National Central Bureau in Washington, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Martin Renkiewicz, director of the U.S. National Central Bureau and a senior Department of Homeland Security law enforcement official, said in a news release that the red notice adds the fugitive notice to law enforcement and border lookout systems as well as a central database for 186 member countries.
"We are here to assist the authorities in Onslow County at an international level to locate and bring this fugitive back to North Carolina to stand trial," Renkiewicz said.
Laurean was charged Jan. 12 with murder and later charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He is accused of killing Lauterbach, who was about eight months pregnant, then burning and burying her body in his backyard.
Summerlin said the FBI has been successful in apprehending and returning suspects from Mexico when they are not facing a possible death penalty.
The Onslow County district attorney said he agreed not to seek the death penalty against Laurean because Mexico has a history of not allowing extradition of suspects facing the death penalty.
The FBI maintains a tip line at (800) 225-5324 and is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the location and arrest of Laurean.
Showing posts with label MARINE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MARINE. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sheriff: Search for Body of Pregnant Marine Halted After Police Find Ditch in Suspect's Yard
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The search for the body of the 20-year-old pregnant Marine believed to have been murdered was suspended Friday evening after authorities found a ditch in the suspect's backyard, according to the North Carolina sheriff handling the case.
Maria Lauterbach had been due to give birth any day, and police have been looking for a fellow Marine she had accused of raping her, according to Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown.
The suspect investigators are pursuing is Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, 21; the "suspicious cavity" was discovered on the property behind his house.
"It is believed the house and the contents of that cavity may eliminate the need to look any further for the body of missing Marine Maria F. Lauterbach," said the sheriff's office in a statement.
Detectives were combing through Laurean's home Friday night and planned to inspect the contents of the ditch Saturday morning, according to the sheriff.
Lauterbach disappeared nearly a month ago before she was to testify in a military probe and her body was believed to have been buried in a shallow grave in coastal Onslow County, Brown told reporters earlier Friday afternoon.
Lauterbach alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a superior, but that the investigation had gone sour, according to court documents, but authorities had no leads on Laurean's whereabouts.
"They don't know where he is," Brown said. "He's gone."
Laurean, of Clark County, Nev., is driving a black quad cab 2004 Dodge pickup with North Carolina tags and license plate number TRR1522. He joined the Marine Corps in September 2004 and was trained as a personnel clerk. He is listed as Unauthorized Absence status, according to the Marine Corps Base in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
A witness came forward to tell authorities where Lauterbach’s body was buried, Brown said. Brown wouldn't comment on cause of death.
Lauterbach, a lance corporal, made the allegation to her stepmother, who also told investigators that her stepdaughter was bipolar and had a history of compulsive lying, according to the documents filed this week.
The court papers said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted by a senior military person."
Lauterbach's roommate, Marine Sgt. Daniel Durham, isn't a suspect in the case. But authorities believe Durham to be the last person to speak with the missing woman, who may have been monitoring the case while on a training mission in California.
The documents state Naval investigators had struggled to investigate Lauterbach's allegations because of inconsistencies in her account. Still, the court papers said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted by a senior military person."
Lauterbach's stepmother said the fellow Marine threatened the missing woman's career, and search warrants filed this week state the woman was facing a possible discharge from the Marine Corps. No reason was provided.
Lauterbach, originally from Dayton, Ohio, was reported missing Dec. 19 by her stepmother, who last spoke with her five days earlier, authorities said. The Marine's cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune, and she missed a Dec. 26 prenatal-care appointment.
Lauterbach's blue 2006 Hyundai Sonata was found at the Jacksonville Bus Station Monday night. She had purchased a bus ticket to El Paso, Texas, the day after she spoke with her stepmother, but the ticket has not been used, according to the sheriff.
Durham told authorities during an initial interview that he didn't report his roommate as missing because some of her personal items were gone from the residence.
According to court documents, state authorities searched Durham's laptop because they believe the woman may have used it to search for directions on the Internet, as well as her cell phone records and the residence she shared with Durham.
The warrants said a white male tried to use the missing woman's ATM card on Christmas Eve and attempted to cover the ATM's security camera with a rag. Brown declined to say where the card was used.
Mary Lauterbach, the pregnant Marine's mother, said it's not like her daughter not to contact her.
"It's extremely out of character for her not to call home like this," Lauterbach told FOX News. "I'm deeply concerned that something's wrong."
Camp Lejeune officials said the missing woman, who is assigned to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, joined the Marine Corps in June 2006, trained as a personnel clerk and had not deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Maria Lauterbach had been due to give birth any day, and police have been looking for a fellow Marine she had accused of raping her, according to Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown.
The suspect investigators are pursuing is Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, 21; the "suspicious cavity" was discovered on the property behind his house.
"It is believed the house and the contents of that cavity may eliminate the need to look any further for the body of missing Marine Maria F. Lauterbach," said the sheriff's office in a statement.
Detectives were combing through Laurean's home Friday night and planned to inspect the contents of the ditch Saturday morning, according to the sheriff.
Lauterbach disappeared nearly a month ago before she was to testify in a military probe and her body was believed to have been buried in a shallow grave in coastal Onslow County, Brown told reporters earlier Friday afternoon.
Lauterbach alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a superior, but that the investigation had gone sour, according to court documents, but authorities had no leads on Laurean's whereabouts.
"They don't know where he is," Brown said. "He's gone."
Laurean, of Clark County, Nev., is driving a black quad cab 2004 Dodge pickup with North Carolina tags and license plate number TRR1522. He joined the Marine Corps in September 2004 and was trained as a personnel clerk. He is listed as Unauthorized Absence status, according to the Marine Corps Base in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
A witness came forward to tell authorities where Lauterbach’s body was buried, Brown said. Brown wouldn't comment on cause of death.
Lauterbach, a lance corporal, made the allegation to her stepmother, who also told investigators that her stepdaughter was bipolar and had a history of compulsive lying, according to the documents filed this week.
The court papers said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted by a senior military person."
Lauterbach's roommate, Marine Sgt. Daniel Durham, isn't a suspect in the case. But authorities believe Durham to be the last person to speak with the missing woman, who may have been monitoring the case while on a training mission in California.
The documents state Naval investigators had struggled to investigate Lauterbach's allegations because of inconsistencies in her account. Still, the court papers said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted by a senior military person."
Lauterbach's stepmother said the fellow Marine threatened the missing woman's career, and search warrants filed this week state the woman was facing a possible discharge from the Marine Corps. No reason was provided.
Lauterbach, originally from Dayton, Ohio, was reported missing Dec. 19 by her stepmother, who last spoke with her five days earlier, authorities said. The Marine's cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune, and she missed a Dec. 26 prenatal-care appointment.
Lauterbach's blue 2006 Hyundai Sonata was found at the Jacksonville Bus Station Monday night. She had purchased a bus ticket to El Paso, Texas, the day after she spoke with her stepmother, but the ticket has not been used, according to the sheriff.
Durham told authorities during an initial interview that he didn't report his roommate as missing because some of her personal items were gone from the residence.
According to court documents, state authorities searched Durham's laptop because they believe the woman may have used it to search for directions on the Internet, as well as her cell phone records and the residence she shared with Durham.
The warrants said a white male tried to use the missing woman's ATM card on Christmas Eve and attempted to cover the ATM's security camera with a rag. Brown declined to say where the card was used.
Mary Lauterbach, the pregnant Marine's mother, said it's not like her daughter not to contact her.
"It's extremely out of character for her not to call home like this," Lauterbach told FOX News. "I'm deeply concerned that something's wrong."
Camp Lejeune officials said the missing woman, who is assigned to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, joined the Marine Corps in June 2006, trained as a personnel clerk and had not deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Marine's Remains Believed to Be Found
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 12) - Authorities detailed gruesome evidence of a pregnant Marine's death Saturday as they excavated human remains from a fire pit where they believe a comrade she accused of rape burned and buried her body.
Investigators have found blood spatters on the ceiling and a massive amount of blood on the wall of the home of Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said. It appeared that someone had tried to wash and paint over the blood, he said.
"I believe this is going to be a bizarre discovery today," Brown said. "The blood splatters indicate a violent, violent attack."
In a fire pit in the backyard of Laurean's home, authorities found burnt human remains buried up to a foot in ashes and dirt, said Dr. Charles Garrett, the county medical examiner. Once state investigators finish slowly scraping dirt from the site, protected by a tarp and two white tents, the remains will be sent to the state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill for identification using dental records.
Garrett did not provide any other details, including whether the remains included those of a child.
A nationwide search for Laurean continued Saturday, a day after Brown identified him as the key suspect in the death of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach. She disappeared in December, just days after meeting with military prosecutors to talk about her allegation that Laurean raped her.
Before fleeing Jacksonville early Friday, Brown said, Laurean left a note that said Lauterbach had "come to his residence and cut her (own) throat." Brown confirmed Saturday that authorities received the note from Laurean's wife, Christina, around 8 a.m. Friday, about four hours after they suspect he fled.
Laurean wrote in the note that he had nothing to do with Lauterbach's suicide, but that he had buried her body, the sheriff said.
Authorities have dismissed the idea that Lauterbach killed herself, pointing to the blood stains and the obvious signs of a cleanup inside Laurean's one-story, brown brick ranch home. Brown challenged Laurean, who has not been charged with a crime, to come forward and defend his claims of innocence.
Brown declined to say whether authorities thought Christina Laurean had a hand in Lauterbach's disappearance.
She is "heartbroken," said her mother, Debbie Sue Shifflet.
"I feel sorry for the other family," Shifflet said. "It's horrible what they're going through. My heart goes out to them."
Brown said Saturday there had been no sightings of Laurean, 21, of the Las Vegas area. He had refused to meet with investigators and left without telling his lawyers where he was going, the sheriff said.
Lauterbach met with military prosecutors last month to discuss pursuing rape charges against Laurean, said Kevin Marks, supervisory agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at Camp Lejeune. He said military prosecutors believed they had enough evidence to argue that the case should go to trial.
In court papers filed this week, prosecutors said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted." Lauterbach reported the rape in April and was due to give birth in mid-February, authorities said.
Outside the family's home in Vandalia, Ohio, on Friday night, Lauterbach's uncle, Pete Steiner, said the rapist was the father.
Authorities said they had not been concerned that Laurean would flee because they had information he and Lauterbach carried on a "friendly relationship" even after she reported the assault to military authorities. There is no indication Lauterbach asked the military to protect her after she leveled the rape allegations, investigators said.
Steiner, however, said his niece didn't have any kind of relationship with her attacker, and that Lauterbach had been forced to rent a room off base because of harassment at Camp Lejeune.
"She was raped," Steiner said. "The Marines, unfortunately, did not protect her, and now she's dead."
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Lauterbach was reported missing Dec. 19 by her mother, who last spoke with her daughter on Dec. 14, authorities said. Her cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune, and she missed a Dec. 26 prenatal care appointment.
Lauterbach, who joined the Marines in 2006, and Laurean were personnel clerks in the 2nd Marine Logistics Group of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune. Neither had been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Investigators have found blood spatters on the ceiling and a massive amount of blood on the wall of the home of Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said. It appeared that someone had tried to wash and paint over the blood, he said.
"I believe this is going to be a bizarre discovery today," Brown said. "The blood splatters indicate a violent, violent attack."
In a fire pit in the backyard of Laurean's home, authorities found burnt human remains buried up to a foot in ashes and dirt, said Dr. Charles Garrett, the county medical examiner. Once state investigators finish slowly scraping dirt from the site, protected by a tarp and two white tents, the remains will be sent to the state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill for identification using dental records.
Garrett did not provide any other details, including whether the remains included those of a child.
A nationwide search for Laurean continued Saturday, a day after Brown identified him as the key suspect in the death of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach. She disappeared in December, just days after meeting with military prosecutors to talk about her allegation that Laurean raped her.
Before fleeing Jacksonville early Friday, Brown said, Laurean left a note that said Lauterbach had "come to his residence and cut her (own) throat." Brown confirmed Saturday that authorities received the note from Laurean's wife, Christina, around 8 a.m. Friday, about four hours after they suspect he fled.
Laurean wrote in the note that he had nothing to do with Lauterbach's suicide, but that he had buried her body, the sheriff said.
Authorities have dismissed the idea that Lauterbach killed herself, pointing to the blood stains and the obvious signs of a cleanup inside Laurean's one-story, brown brick ranch home. Brown challenged Laurean, who has not been charged with a crime, to come forward and defend his claims of innocence.
Brown declined to say whether authorities thought Christina Laurean had a hand in Lauterbach's disappearance.
She is "heartbroken," said her mother, Debbie Sue Shifflet.
"I feel sorry for the other family," Shifflet said. "It's horrible what they're going through. My heart goes out to them."
Brown said Saturday there had been no sightings of Laurean, 21, of the Las Vegas area. He had refused to meet with investigators and left without telling his lawyers where he was going, the sheriff said.
Lauterbach met with military prosecutors last month to discuss pursuing rape charges against Laurean, said Kevin Marks, supervisory agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at Camp Lejeune. He said military prosecutors believed they had enough evidence to argue that the case should go to trial.
In court papers filed this week, prosecutors said the anticipated birth of the baby "might provide evidentiary credence to charges she lodged with military authorities that she was sexually assaulted." Lauterbach reported the rape in April and was due to give birth in mid-February, authorities said.
Outside the family's home in Vandalia, Ohio, on Friday night, Lauterbach's uncle, Pete Steiner, said the rapist was the father.
Authorities said they had not been concerned that Laurean would flee because they had information he and Lauterbach carried on a "friendly relationship" even after she reported the assault to military authorities. There is no indication Lauterbach asked the military to protect her after she leveled the rape allegations, investigators said.
Steiner, however, said his niece didn't have any kind of relationship with her attacker, and that Lauterbach had been forced to rent a room off base because of harassment at Camp Lejeune.
"She was raped," Steiner said. "The Marines, unfortunately, did not protect her, and now she's dead."
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Lauterbach was reported missing Dec. 19 by her mother, who last spoke with her daughter on Dec. 14, authorities said. Her cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune, and she missed a Dec. 26 prenatal care appointment.
Lauterbach, who joined the Marines in 2006, and Laurean were personnel clerks in the 2nd Marine Logistics Group of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune. Neither had been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.
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