Pregnant Marine Scheduled To Testify Missing
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.— A 20-year-old pregnant Marine who was expected to testify about something she witnessed on base has been missing since mid-December, authorities said.
The Marine Corps said Wednesday it is cooperating fully with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office in the disappearance of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who is about eight months pregnant.
The sheriff’s office has said Lauterbach’s mother reported that her daughter was supposed to testify about an on-base incident.
“There are several findings and pieces of evidence that have been discovered that cause law enforcement to be concerned with the circumstances surrounding Maria’s disappearance,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
Sheriff’s investigators did not return calls seeking additional comment Wednesday, and it was not clear what Lauterbach was expected to say in testimony.
The State Bureau of Investigation also is working on the case. Marine Corps and Navy investigators are cooperating with the investigation, said First Lt. Richard Ulsh, a spokesman with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
Authorities say Lauterbach, originally from Dayton, Ohio, was reported missing Dec. 19 by her mother, who last spoke with her daughter on Dec. 13. Her cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune.
Lauterbach’s mother, Mary Lauterbach, told the Dayton Daily News on Wednesday that her family is concerned because it is out of character for her daughter not to stay in touch.
“There has been a deafening silence,” she said.
Maria Lauterbach is assigned to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. Camp Lejeune officials said she joined the Marine Corps in June 2006 and was trained as a personnel clerk.
(AP)
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Looks like someone ordered the CODE RED…
January 10th, 2008 at 1:19 amSGT Welsh, what’s a code red?
January 10th, 2008 at 2:03 amCunningham, you can’t handle the truth, about a code red….
Sorry I couldn’t help myself.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:45 amDude. That is really not funny.
I hope they find her okay.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:50 amAnybody know the details on exactly what the “on-base incident” was/is? (Background info?)
January 10th, 2008 at 8:27 amBTW -
Just emialed back/forth with one of my Camp Lejeune contacts. I asked what she and her Marine Sgt. husband (3 tours in Iraq) know about this. She’s emailing from work, so it’s “sloppy”:
[we havent heard much other than whats in the news…one of the girls i work withs husband is a poliece officer in the area and he said they think theres some foul play but they havent got any leads or anything. but they have been looking and checking out leads that end up being nothing…they were diving in the river and found a skull and was told a murder weapon was there but found nothing and the skull probably isnt that girls its to old to be hers so who knows.]
I asked about what the “on-base incident” is that this (MIA) Marine was due to testify about:
[god only knows with this place…someone is always stabbing someone or stealing something on base…its hard to say because people are crazy some times …i havent heard of anything really bad happening around here lately on base so im not to sure ill ask *** when he gets home from work today though.]
January 10th, 2008 at 8:54 amMegaTroopX ,
grow some balls
January 10th, 2008 at 8:36 pm