Cesar Armando Laurean was a U.S. Marine Corporal stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He was originally from Mexico but later became a U.S. citizen. In 2007, Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, a fellow Marine, accused Laurean of sexually assaulting her. At the time of the accusation, Lauterbach was pregnant and claimed that Laurean was the father. The military was investigating the allegation, but both Marines continued serving at the base.

On December 14, 2007, Maria Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant, was reported missing. On January 11, 2008, authorities found her burned remains, along with her unborn child, buried in a shallow grave in Cesar Laurean’s backyard in Jacksonville, North Carolina. An autopsy confirmed that Lauterbach had died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Before the discovery of the body, Laurean fled the country. A federal arrest warrant was issued, and he was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. He was eventually found and arrested in Tacámbaro, Michoacán, Mexico, on April 10, 2008. After legal proceedings, he was extradited to the U.S. on April 17, 2009. In August 2010, Laurean was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.