Murder charges await Marine captured in Mexico
Story Highlights
NEW: Slain woman's mother says she believes Cpl. Cesar Laurean likely killer
Extradition of Laurean from Mexico could take two years if he fights it
Laurean, suspect in death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, captured Thursday
U.S. authorities can't seek death penalty because of Mexico's extradition policy
Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach's remains -- and those of her fetus -- were found in Laurean's backyard, police say.
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Authorities in North Carolina waited Friday for extradition proceedings to return a fugitive Marine, captured in Mexico, to face murder charges.
Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, on the run since January, was captured Thursday night in Mexico.
1 of 3 U.S. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, the main suspect in the killing of a 20-year-old pregnant Marine, was captured Thursday night, three months after fleeing North Carolina, the FBI said.
"I loved her," Laurean told a Mexican reporter who asked whether he killed Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach.
The dead woman's mother said Friday that she believes Laurean is likely her daughter's killer.
"Of course, I'm a great believer too in the American system of justice, where you have a presumption of innoncence until proven guilty," Mary Lauterbach told CNN. "But in my heart of hearts I do believe he probably is."
She said she also believes Laurean is the father of her daughter's unborn fetus.
"I would say to him, I prayed for you and I prayed for your family and I hope at this point you can begin to be honest about what actually happened," she said. Watch victim's mother describe her reaction to news of the capture »
Laurean has been indicted on charges of murder, ATM card theft, attempted card theft, fraud and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Mexican authorities arrested Laurean at 7 p.m. Thursday in San Juan Vina in the state of Michoacan state, about 120 miles west of Mexico City, after he approached a roadblock set up by a local anti-kidnapping task force, according to Magdalena Guzman of the Michoacan state attorney general's office. Watch Laurean after his capture »
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Laurean, dressed in a red T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes, gave authorities his real name, which was entered into a criminal database that alerted authorities to his fugitive status, Guzman said. Police said Laurean was calm and gave no resistance.
He told police he had been sleeping in avocado groves and eating the fruit from the trees, Guzman said. Laurean, who grew a scruffy beard, appeared thin and unkempt, she said.
"This is a clear message to all would-be fugitives from U.S. law that Mexico will not provide them refuge," Antonio O. Garza, U.S. ambassador to Mexico, said in a statement. "Laurean fled to Mexico early this year in the hope of avoiding justice. Despite his attempts to elude apprehension, international police cooperation and cutting-edge technology led law enforcement officials to his capture."
Authorities had a general idea of Laurean's whereabouts in Mexico, said a law enforcement source in Onslow County, North Carolina.
"I'm very happy he was caught today in Mexico, but I'm disappointed we didn't catch him in America," said Dewey Hudson, district attorney for Onslow County.
Since Laurean holds both U.S. and Mexican citizenship, he cannot be immediately deported, Guzman said. His Mexican citizenship requires an extradition hearing, she said.
His capture in Mexico protects Laurean from facing the death penalty in the United States. Mexico's extradition policy prohibits U.S. officials from seeking capital punishment against fugitives turned over by Mexican authorities.
If Laurean chooses to fight extradition, it could take up to two years to return him to North Carolina, Hudson said.
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Lauterbach's mom urges more protection
The state police turned him over to Mexican federal authorities Thursday evening. They plan to take him to Mexico City for the extradition process, Guzman said.
Lauterbach was eight months' pregnant when she was last seen in December near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. A month later, her charred body, along with that of her fetus, was found beneath a fire pit in Laurean's backyard in Onslow County.
Authorities suspect that Laurean killed Lauterbach on December 14 and used her ATM card 10 days later before fleeing to his native Mexico. See a timeline of events »
Lauterbach had accused him of raping her. Laurean denied the **** allegation and any other sexual contact with Lauterbach. In a statement issued after her death, the Marine Corps said Laurean's denial "was believed to be significant evidence."
Her body was found after Laurean's wife produced a note from him claiming Lauterbach slit her throat during an argument, officials said.
A 4-inch wound was found on the left side of Lauterbach's neck, though the wound would not have been fatal, according to autopsy results.
A law enforcement official said federal authorities recently seized a computer belonging to Laurean's sister-in-law, which his wife was using to communicate with him while he was on the run. Laurean apparently told his wife in e-mails that he wanted to return to the United States, the official said.
Authorities also seized the wife's diary.
"It's clear she's still deeply in love with him, and she is vacillating between loving him and being angry at him for not being faithful to her," the official said. "It's not necessarily illegal for a wife to talk to her husband, but if she had tried to help him in any way, there would have been a problem."
Mary Lauterbach has demanded answers from the Marines about why more wasn't done to protect her daughter after the **** allegation. Watch why the mother wants answers from Marines »
The mother sent a list of more than 30 questions to the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, Gen. James Conway, through her congressman last week. She said she's unconvinced that the **** allegation was treated seriously.
A Marine Corps spokesman has said the service will respond to all of Mary Lauterbach's questions and will not comment further.
After Maria Lauterbach accused Laurean of **** in May 2007, she was moved to another office, and a military protective order was issued to keep the two apart. But Mary Lauterbach and her congressman, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said the Marines didn't do enough to protect her.
In a news release this week, Turner said a response from Lt. Gen. R.S. Kramlich, director of Marine Corps Staff, "demonstrates that the actions taken by the Marine Corps to protect Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach were totally inadequate."
Turner said there was "a lack of urgency in the Marine Corps' response to Maria Lauterbach's plea for help." He said the Marine Corps waited six days to start investigating the **** allegation.
The Marine Corps took no action to protect Lauterbach despite an assault on her and vandalism to her car, Turner said. E-mail to a friend
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/11/missing.marine/index.html
