Fugitive Marine Indicted on Murder Charges

Jan 24, 06:50 PM

A grand jury in Onslow County indicted Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, who authorities believe has fled to Mexico, in the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach.

Earlier this week, a cousin living in a town near Guadalajara, Mexico, told The Associated Press that Laurean had visited him there early last week.

During a press conference announcing the indictment, District Attorney Dewey Hudson said he had reluctantly made a deal with Mexican authorities: If they arrest and extradite Laurean, the prosecutor will not seek the death penalty.

"This agreement applies only if he is arrested and extradited from Mexico," Hudson said.

Hudson also said that an autopsy showed that Lauterbach's baby was still in the womb when the woman was killed.

There is no law in North Carolina that allows Hudson to seek a murder charge against Laurean for the death of an unborn child.

At the time of Lauterbach's disappearance, military officials were investigating her report that Laurean raped her. It is not known whether he is the father of the unborn child.

Laurean went missing hours before Lauterbach's body was found buried in the backyard his house, which is near Jacksonville. He had left a note for his wife, saying he Lauterbach had killed herself and he had buried her.

Since Laurean fled, sightings were reported in North Carolina, Louisiana and most recently Mexico, where he was born.

Peg Dorer, director of the state's conference of district attorneys, said she could not remember a North Carolina case that involved making a deal with international authorities.

But fugitives often flee to Mexico to avoid facing punishment, she said.

"This is a national problem," Dorer said. "Because of Mexico's stand, you have to agree with them because you want get (the fugitives) back."

Laurean was also indicted Thursday on robbery with a dangerous weapon, financial card theft, attempted financial card fraud and fraud.

Hudson said that Laurean used a weapon to take Lauterbach's ATM card. Police have previously released a photo of a man they say is Laurean using the card.

During the past two weeks, authorities have been searching for Laurean, though information leading to his whereabouts have turned up little.

Along the way, they've found clues, but no one to arrest.

Someone found his ATM card outside the Greyhound bus station in Durham two weeks ago.

A Raleigh-Durham International Airport police officer then discovered Laurean's truck behind a Microtel Inn just off Interstate 40 in Morrisville.

Last week, agents in Houston were called to help with the search receiving tips he may have been in that area.

Laurean became a U.S. citizen in 2003 and was living in Las Vegas before enlisting in the Marines a year later, according to Marine Corps officials and FBI reports.

Regardless of citizenship, when a fugitive makes it into Mexico, authorities there have all of the control.

Joshua Marquis, a district attorney in Oregon and a chairman of the National District Attorneys Association, said prosecutors and law enforcement officers are fed up with losing leverage when fugitives cross the border.

The association has been pushing for federal officials to talk with Mexican authorities about the issue.

"It's a delicate situation ... because it's where foreign policy, extradition and treaties all get muddled," Marquis said.

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