Wife of Fugitive Marine Speaks Up
COOPER: In "Crime and Punishment" tonight, in the case of the murdered pregnant Marine, a new face has emerged, and this one is very close to the fugitive suspect. She is his wife, and she says her husband, Corporal Cesar Laurean, told her the victim killed herself in front of him, slitting her throat. But the new development tonight is that the wife, Christine Laurean, knew Maria Lauterbach was dead but waited a full day before telling authorities. A lot to get to tonight. CNN's Randi Kaye has been covering the story and joins us now from Charleston, South Carolina. Randi, what's the most surprising new information that you've uncovered today?</s>RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, we got the police affidavit today, and I have to say that the most surprising tidbit in there is the fact that the wife -- the suspect's wife, Christina Laurean, actually knew that Maria Lauterbach was dead the day before she came forward to the sheriff. She waited for him to skip town on January 11 until she went to investigators. We also have learned, as a result of that affidavit, that she brought with her several notes that she says her husband had written about the death of Lauterbach. We had known about this one note in which he had said that she had committed suicide, and he panicked and buried her in the back yard. But now we know, Anderson, there were several notes.</s>COOPER: And what more specifics did she tell investigators when she came forward?</s>KAYE: We know, according to the affidavit, that in May of 2007, he apparently went to his wife and told her that a junior Marine had accused him of rape. He said he didn't do it. He then told her that this Marine had become pregnant. He said it wasn't his baby. He also told her that he had hired a lawyer who said to him that he was facing the death penalty. Now here's the really interesting nugget there. Apparently, on January 10, the day before he disappeared, she went with him to see one of his attorneys. And during that car ride -- I'm quoting here -- he apparently said to her, "You with me on this?" And she said, "I don't know. Is there anything that you haven't told me?" Now yesterday, I spoke exclusively with one of Laurean's good friends, this former Marine who worked with him for four years at Camp Lejeune. She described the couple's relationship as very good. I'm talking about Cesar Laurean and his wife, Christina. She said that they were -- they were very close. Now, the sheriff has taken numerous questions, refusing to answer them each time, about Christina Laurean and whether or not she may have been involved in this murder. He's refusing to answer those questions. So I asked that to Cesar Laurean's good friend, and here's what she had to say.</s>KAYE: Some have suggested that maybe she was involved. "</s>LISA," LAUREAN'S FRIEND: When I was married to my husband, if he would have killed someone and buried them in my backyard, I think I would have noticed. You know, I noticed when he changed his shoelaces. You notice when someone kills someone.</s>COOPER: So there's still a basic question. Where was Christina Laurean the day that police said Lauterbach was killed?</s>KAYE: According to the affidavit once again, the sheriff says that she told him she was at a Christmas party for her husband's unit. She was there until late in the afternoon and that her husband was supposed to be there, but he never showed up.</s>COOPER: And what about the weapon allegedly used to kill Lauterbach?</s>KAYE: We're now learning today that someone, an unidentified man had apparently discovered the weapon, the alleged weapon used in this murder, turned it into the sheriff's department last week. It has been fingerprinted, sent to the state crime lab for tests. We do know that she died from blunt trauma to the head. But again, they're not telling us exactly what that weapon was.</s>COOPER: All right. Randi Kaye, thanks for the latest. You can see the rest of Randi's exclusive interview with suspect Cesar Laurean's friend online. There's a link on our website, cnn.com/360. Up next tonight, Tom Cruise as you've never seen him before.</s>COOPER (voice-over): Tom Cruise preaching Scientology.</s>TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I think it's a privilege to call yourself a scientologist.</s>COOPER: The video the church is pulling off the Internet and a new book about Cruise that has them threatening a lawsuit. All the angles -- when 360 continues.