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Marine Accused of Murder Still in Mexico

By Peter Biello

Wilmington, NC – The Marine accused of murdering a pregnant fellow Marine last year is still in Mexican custody awaiting extradition.

Mexican judge approved Corporal Cesar Laurean's extradition last week. Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown and attorneys handling the case initially gave conflicting reports on when Laurean would return.

Brown expected Laurean to arrive as soon as yesterday, but now he says nobody really knows when he will get here.

"Mr. Laurean will come back to North Carolina, Onslow County," says Brown. "If he spends that time in Mexico or that time in the Onslow County Jail, he's still going to face that crime and it doesn't make anything harder for me."

Laurean is accused of murdering pregnant Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach and burying her in his backyard. Laurean can appeal the extradition from Mexico but has not yet done so.

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