Suspect, a native of Mexico, has likely fled there, FBI says
(CNN) The FBI suspects that Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, sought in the slaying of a pregnant fellow Marine, has fled to his native Mexico, an FBI spokeswoman said Wednesday.
A warrant has been issued for Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, who’s been charged with murder in Lauterbach’s death.
“At this point in time we strongly suspect but have not confirmed that Laurean fled to Mexico,” said Newsom Summerlin, FBI media representative in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Laurean, 21, is a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, and a naturalized citizen who lived in the Las Vegas area before joining the Marines.
The FBI said it is working with Mexican authorities to find and arrest Laurean if he is in Mexico.
On Tuesday, officials confirmed that Laurean’s Dodge pickup truck was at a motel near the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Laurean had never checked into to that motel, officials said.Laurean faces murder charges in the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who had accused Laurean of rape and who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared in December. Her charred body and a fetus were found buried behind Laurean’s house near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, last Friday.
Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Laurean had sent letters to his wife in North Carolina.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/16/missing.marine/