N.C. grand jury indicts Marine
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) - January 24, 2008 Authorities believe Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean has fled to his
native Mexico, which refuses to send anyone back to the United
States unless provided assurances they won't face the death
penalty.
"This agreement to not seek the death penalty applies only if
he is arrested in and extradited from Mexico," said Onslow County
District Attorney Dewey Hudson.
The remains of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, 20, were found with
those of her fetus earlier this month in a fire pit in Laurean's
back yard. Lauterbach, who had once accused Laurean of rape, had
been missing since mid December
Before Laurean fled from Jacksonville in early January, he left
a note for his wife, Christina, that said Lauterbach slit her own
throat with a knife, and he then buried her in the woods near their
home. Detective have rejected that claim, and an autopsy found that
Lauterbach died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Hudson said the grand jury also charged Laurean with robbery
with a dangerous weapon and a charge involving an unauthorized
financial transaction involving card theft. The indictment states
Laurean forced Lauterbach to remove money from her bank account on
Dec. 14, the same day authorities believe he killed her.
But because authorities have determined that Lauterbach's child
had not been born at the time of her death, Hudson said,
prosecutors could only charge Laurean with one count of murder.