Military killings concern area

Some Onslow County residents are concerned and frustrated in the wake of the charges against Marine Cpl. John Wimunc, the second Camp Lejeune Marine charged with murder this year for the death of a female service member.

"The military are supposed to be our protectors, and they're the ones having things happen to them," said Erin Forsyth of Jacksonville. "It's weird that it happens here, because you don't think it's going to happen here."

A burned and dismembered body that authorities say is Fort Bragg soldier 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, who was reported missing last week, was discovered in a shallow grave off a dirt road in a wooded area of Sneads Ferry on Sunday. Wimunc's estranged husband, John Wimunc, of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, was charged Monday by the Fayetteville Police Department with first-degree murder.

In January, authorities found the charred remains of Camp Lejeune Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach and her unborn child in the Half Moon community backyard of a fellow Marine she had previously accused of rape. Cpl. Cesar Laurean has been charged with first-degree murder in her death.

"It's just got a lot of people shaken up. Especially ones in the area - it's kind of like a repeat again," said Johnie Rhodes, patrolman with the Holly Ridge Police Department.

Several residents expressed concern about the negative light shining on the Marine Corps as a result of both incidents.

"I think it gives the Marine Corps a bad name that's not deserved," said Marine wife Shannan Wesley. "I think if it wasn't the military, it wouldn't receive as much focus as it has."

Jacksonville USO director and retired Marine 1st Sgt. Harold Rowland agreed. He said murders happen every day in larger cities across the country and those incidents don't receive the same kind of media attention or backlash.

"When this story first broke and I heard she was married to a Marine, I knew it was going downhill from there," he said.

The deaths are outshining all the positive things the Marine Corps does, Rowland said.

"For three uglies that's happened in Onslow County, we sure have put out a whole lot of good all these years defending our country," he said.

Wesley said that while she's heard people blame repeated deployments to war zones for violent acts Marines are accused of committing, she doesn't believe there is a correlation.

"These guys are trained to deal with that," she said.

Detective Sgt. Deron Jones with the Holly Ridge Police Department said the Marine Corps is asking a lot of Marines at the moment, especially with repeated deployments, but he hopes the homicides bring about something positive.

"I think it may open up more programs of support for people and try to minimize this as much as possible," he said.

Another concern is the public's increasingly negative perception of the state as a whole.

"I think it's tragic how it is giving a bad name to North Carolina," said Mary Beard of Jacksonville.

Rowland said he is offended by the question, "What's going on with North Carolina?"

"It's a totally warped and unfair opinion that's being cast on North Carolina and Jacksonville as a whole," he said.

People tend to forget that the Marines stationed in Jacksonville were "recruited from America's neighborhoods," Rowland said.

He's equally frustrated by people from around the country who have never been to the area, yet are quick to judge.

"It's a news story to them. To us - it's our community."

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow government reporter Molly DeWitt at 910-219-8457, or mdewitt@freedomenc.com. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment.