Ex-Marine pleads not guilty to killing alleged lover

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. - A former Marine has pleaded not guilty to killing the pregnant wife of another Marine.

Lee was arrested in Alaska on Aug. 17 after the body of 19-year-old Erin Corwin was found down a 100-foot mine shaft near Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert. Corwin, a Tennessee native, went missing June 28.

Prosecutors say that Corwin and the married Lee were lovers. Her husband, Cpl. Jonathan Corwin, and Lee were both stationed at the Twentynine Palms Marine base.

Authorities say bullet casings and rebar found near Corwin link Lee to the killing. According to KFMB, prosecutors have said Lee's 23-year-old wife, Nichole, is a person of interest in the investigation.

Court documents indicate Corwin was in the early stages of pregnancy when she went missing. The San Bernardino County Coroner has not confirmed whether she was pregnant or how far along she was and the office will not release her cause of death until the criminal case is adjudicated.

Christopher Lee is currently being held without bail. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 16.

Lee's defense attorney, David Kaloyanides, told reporters Tuesday that the case could take some time to go to trial.

"Right now, we don't have any of the discovery. It's going to take a while in a case of this magnitude to get any information from the district attorney's office so we can evaluate what the evidence is," Kaloyanides said outside court, according to the station.

Corwin's husband was also present for the arraignment Tuesday but he did not comment to reporters. On Monday, he made an appearance at a vigil held for Erin in Twentynine Palms.