High-Profile Trial of Cesar Lauren Underway in Goldsboro, N.C.

By Alicia Cruz

The Black Urban Times.com

On Monday, pre-trial motions in the high-profile Cesar Laurean murder trial began in Wayne County, WNCT.com reported.

Laurean, a former Marine Corporal, is accused of murdering fellow Marine, LCpl. Maria Lauterbach in 2007 in Jacksonville, NC. Laurean has since been separated from the Marines.

Lauterbach accused Laurean of raping her after the two engaged in an affair (Laurean is married). She initially claimed Laurean was the father of her unborn child, but DNA tests later proved that untrue.

Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her murder, was reported missing in December 2007. January 11, 2008, Sheriff Ed brown of the Onslow County Sheriff's Department announced that his department had found the burned remains of Lauterbach and her unborn fetus in a fire pit in the backyard of a home Laurean and his wife, Christina shared.

Laurean fled Camp Lejeune before he could be arrested and was apprehended on April 10, 2008,in Tacambaro, Michoacan, Mexico. A series of appeals followed the 23-year-old former Combat Logistician's apprehension that held up his extradition for exactly 12 months and one week.

Laurean during his April 2009 capture

On April 17, 2009, the FBI announced that Laurean had been extradited back to the United States and was being held in the Onslow County jail in Jacksonville where he remained until last week in preparation for his trial.

In 2009, Lauterbach's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Laurean and his wife Christina, accusing them of conspiring to conceal the murder. Christina Laurean was a Marine reservist during the time of her husband's arrest. After he absconded, she was placed on active duty status and, according to WNCT.com, Christina Laurean, a Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, will not attend her husband's trial unless she's called to testify.

Lauterbach's mother, Mary, however, says she plans to sit through every minute of Laurean's trial, The Dayton Daily News reported.

Mary Lauterbach, 51, of Vandalia has been subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution and she is expected to be one of the early witnesses in the trial. She is the last person known to have spoken with the young Marine before she disappeared Dec. 14, 2007.

Laurean's attorney, Dick McNeil was successful in securing a change of venue, due to pre-trial publicity. The long-awaited trial is expected to get underway Tuesday, August 10, 2010 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Laurean has pled not guilty and faces life in prison if found guilty.


List of Events in the Cesar Laurean Case:
September 13, 2004 - Cesar A. Laurean, of the Las Vegas area, enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps.
April 6, 2005 - Laurean joins a combat logistics regiment based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
June 6, 2006 - Maria Lauterbach, of Dayton, Ohio, enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps.
November 23, 2006 - Lauterbach joins Laurean's unit.
April 2007 - Lauterbach tells Marine Corps that Laurean raped her. She is pregnant.
May 12, 2007 - Marine commanders assign Lauterbach and Laurean to work in separate buildings.
May 24, 2007 - A military protective order is issued against Laurean.
June 25, 2007- The protective order is automatically renewed for the first time.
September 20, 2007 - The protective order is automatically renewed for the second time.
October 22, 2007 - Marine commanders submit a request to send the rape case to the military's version of a grand jury.
December 2007 - Lauterbach meets with military prosecutors to discuss her rape allegation against Laurean.
December 14 2007 - Lauterbach speaks to her mother for the last time. A woman purchases a bus ticket to El Paso that never gets used. Authorities think Lauterbach was the woman.
December 19, 2007 - Lauterbach's mother reports her missing to police in Ohio. A missing persons investigation begins in Onslow County.
December 20, 2007 - Lauterbach's cell phone found on a roadside near Camp Lejeune.
December 24, 2007 - An unidentified white man uses Lauterbach's ATM card.
December 28, 2007: Lauterbach does not show up for prenatal appointment.
January 7, 2008: Lauterbach's car found at fast food restaurant. Lawmen say it had been there since about December 15. Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown is informed about the case, and detectives execute their first search warrant.
January 8, 2008 - Police search the laptop computer of Marine Sgt. Daniel Durham, Lauterbach's roommate. Authorities later conclude he is not involved. First news release about Lauterbach being missing is issued.
January 9, 2008 - The Marine Corps says it is cooperating with the Onslow County Sheriff's investigation into Lauterbach's disappearance.
January 10, 2008 - Civilian authorities request Durham be returned from a training mission in California for questioning.
January 11, 2008: Authorities believe Laurean flees Jacksonville at 4 a.m. They receive Laurean's note from his wife, Christina, at 8 a.m., and announce four hours later they believe Lauterbach is dead. That evening, the local district attorney says burnt human remains had been found in Laurean's backyard.
January 12, 2008: The remains of adult and fetus are found in Laurean's backyard. An arrest warrant is issued for Laurean.
January 15, 2008: Autopsy confirms remains in backyard are Lauterbach and her unborn baby. The district attorney says she died from blunt force trauma to the head.
January 18, 2008: Candlelight vigil is held for Lauterbach at Northeast Creek Park in Jacksonville.
January 20, 2008: Mary Lauterbach told the Dayton Daily News that her daughter was a beautiful girl with perceived credibility issues, which set her up to be the perfect victim.
January 21, 2008: Sheriff Brown says he belives Laurean is in Mexico. A cousin says he saw Laurean in Mexico a week ago. Officials release new photos.
January 24, 2008: A grand jury indicts Laurean on first degree murder charges.
February 2, 2008: Lauterbach and her baby are laid to rest in Ohio.
March 14, 2008: Autopsy results reveal Lauterbach had 4 inch wound on neck that was superficial and may have occurred after she died.
April 10, 2008: Laurean is captured in Mexico.
June 31, 2008: Mary Lauterbach testifies before Congress that her daughter would still be alive today if the Marines had a better system in place for sexual assault victims.
August 16, 2008: DA Office intern accused of trying to sell Laurean case documents.
September 11, 2008: Mexican court judge has ruled that Cesar Laurean will be returned to Onslow County.
December 2008: Laurean home goes up for sale for the first time.
April 18, 2009: Laurean returns from Mexico.
April 20, 2009: Laurean makes first appearance in Onslow County Court.
April 30, 2009: Gag order is imposed for Laurean case.
May 11, 2009: Gag order is lifted in Laurean case.
May 15, 2009: Laurean is expelled from Marine Corps.
May 17, 2009: DNA reports says Laurean was not the father of Lauterbach's unborn baby.
June 8, 2009: Laurean pleads not guilty.
July 2009: Laurean's former house sells.
December 8, 2009: Laurean appears in Onslow Co. court, attorneys agree a change of venue is necessary.
December 14, 2009: Laurean and his wife are named in wrongful death lawsuit filed by Mary Lauterbach.
January 26, 2010: Laurean's trial is moved to Wayne County.
April 13, 2010: Judge delays Laurean trial.
August 9, 2010: Laurean trial slated to begin in Wayne County.

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