By Peter Biello
WHQR – A pregnant Marine who went missing from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Marine base last month is dead.
Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown says authorities have not recovered the body of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach. They think she's buried in a shallow grave somewhere in coastal Onslow County.
Lauterbach was about eight months pregnant when she disappeared. The sheriff says they're still searching for 21-year-old fellow Marine Corporal Cesar A. Laurean. She had accused him of raping her.
Brown says detectives tried to speak with Laurean, but he refused on the advice of his attorneys.
Authorities said they didn't consider him a flight risk until now because they had information the two Marines had a "friendly relationship" after she reported the assault.
Camp Lejeune officials will not release a statement until Saturday.
*****
Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@whqr.org.