Marine corporal indicted

JACKSONVILLE, N.C., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The results of a second autopsy in North Carolina on the fetus of a slain Marine apparently indicated it did not take a breath before it and its mother died.

Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean was indicted by a grand jury only for the killing of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who was eight months pregnant. He allegedly then burned and buried her body in his backyard.

A state autopsy suggested the fetus was not born alive. The U.S. military requested a second autopsy to determine if oxygen was present in the lungs of the fetus. The presence of oxygen would have suggested the infant took a breath, CNN said Thursday.

North Carolina law forbids murder charges for suspects accused of killing a fetus.

Lauterbach, who accused Laurean of raping her, disappeared Dec. 19. Her body surfaced Jan. 11.

Federal officials say they believe Laurean is in Mexico and the U.S. State Department asked Mexican authorities to arrest him.