Breaking News: Marine Cesar Laurean Has Been Captured In Mexico

U.S. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean has been captured in Mexico Thursday. The marine is wanted for the murder of 20-year-old pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Frances Lauterbach.

There has been a manhunt for Laurean since January when he fled as the search for Maria Lauterbach was in full swing. The marine has been indicted on charges of murder, ATM card theft, attempted card theft, fraud and robbery with a dangerous weapon. North Carolina authorities are waiting for his extradition back from Mexico.

Laurean was captured at 7 p.m. Thursday near Mexico City in the town of San Juan Vina.

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, North Carolina.

Because of extradition rules Laurean can not be given the death penalty for the murder of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. Laurean is accused of not only the murder of the pregnant woman but also for rape. He has denied the rape allegation. It is unclear if he was the father of the fetus that Lauterbach was carrying.

According to a note that Laurean wrote prior to his escape to Mexico he claimed that Lauterbach slit her own throat during an argument. There was a 4 inch wound found on the woman’s neck but medical examiners have determined that wound would not have been fatal. Lauterbach’s body was found in a fire put in the backyard of Laurean in Onslow County, North Carolina.

Authorities have seized a computer that belongs to Laurean’s sister-in-law that has communications between Laurean and his wife on it. His wife’s diary has also been taken into evidence.

“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.”