Autopsy: Woman's death due to strangulation

A woman found dead in her Jacksonville apartment last month after her husband admitted to a 911 operator that he killed her was strangled with a belt, according to autopsy reports made public today.

Marks on the neck of 21-year-old Jessy Lauer-Richardson were consistent with a belt found and seized in the couple’s Reserve Apartments unit, according to the report.

Cody D. Richardson, 22, of Carroll, N.H., was charged by the Jacksonville Police Department on Sept. 23 with first-degree murder. He was administratively separated from the Marine Corps the following day, according to base officials.

The report describes Lauer-Richardson as “21-year-old female found naked in bed. Husband confessed to killing her by strangulation with a belt.”

Richardson told authorities that he killed his wife and left her body in their apartment for two days, according to information from police.

He told a 911 operator on Sept. 22 that he had written a suicide note describing what happened. He said he intended to kill himself Sunday night, but couldn’t bring himself to do it, according to 911 recordings released last month.

Responding police found Richardson standing outside Reserve Apartments No. 3F at 1000 Talon Circle. His wife’s body was found in the bedroom of the upstairs apartment.

Lauer-Richardson’s death is the result of a domestic altercation, JPD Chief Mike Yaniero told reporters last month.

Doctors did not find alcohol or drugs in Lauer-Richardson’s system, according to the autopsy report signed by Onslow County Medical Examiner Dr. Anuradha Arcott.

Both Richardson and his wife grew up in Wolfeboro, N.H. They were married in May 2008, after Richardson returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

Richardson’s father told several media outlets last month that his son had lost friends in Iraq, suffered close calls while there and was on medication as a result.

Sara Lauer, Richardson’s mother-in-law, has said publicly that she wants Richardson to receive help and not serve prison time if he is convicted.

Richardson is being held in the Onslow County Jail under a $1 million bond.

Kinston lawyer Allen Foster has been appointed to represent Richardson.

Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456. Read his blog at http://onslowcrime.encblogs.com.