Pregnant Marine Didn't Think She Was in Danger

Told prosecutors she no longer thought Laurean was the father

By Laurel Jorgensen, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 16, 2008 9:17 AM CST

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Pregnant Marine Didn't Think She Was in Danger — This photo provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, shows Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean. Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, the key suspect in the brutal slaying of a 20-year-old pregnant Marine has been sighted outside of North Carolina, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008. The sighting... (Associated Press)

A pregnant Marine whose body was discovered in the back yard of Cesar Armando Laurean told prosecutors in November that she no longer thought Laurean was the father, Marine officials say. Maria Lauterbach alleged that Laurean raped her in March and April, but doctors estimated the 20-year-old’s conception date was May 14, the AP reports.

Laurean never violated the military protective order to stay away from Lauterbach and continued to report to work on time after she vanished, according to a Marine official. Lauterbach had told victims’ advocates at Camp Lejeune that she didn’t feel threatened by him. Her burnt body was discovered at his house over the weekend, and an autopsy found she died of blunt trauma to the head. (More murder stories.)

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