Murder Charges For Army Nurse's Husband

N.C. Marine Charged With Murder, Arson; Wife Had Restraining Order Over Gun Threat

(AP)  The husband of an Army nurse who worked in the maternity ward at Fort Bragg's hospital was charged Monday with murder in her death, a day after her body was discovered by authorities.

Marine Cpl. John Wimunc, 23, was also charged with first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson in the death of his wife, Army 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, of Dubuque, Iowa. Her body was found Sunday, three days after a suspicious fire at her Fayetteville apartment.

In May, Wimunc secured a temporary restraining order against her husband. She told authorities he got drunk and held a loaded handgun to her head and his. At the time of her death, the couple was going through a divorce.

"You start with people who are closest to the spouse and you work your way out from that," Fayetteville Detective Jeff Locklear said of the investigation.

Authorities also charged Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden, 22, with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson and accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Both were arrested at Camp Lejeune, the Marine Corps base about 130 miles southeast of Fayetteville where they are stationed as combat engineers.

Wimunc's body was found in a wooded area near the southern border of Camp Lejeune late Sunday afternoon, not far from Alden's residence. The body had been there several days and there is evidence she was dead upon arrival, said Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson, who wouldn't elaborate. The men were arrested late Sunday night after police interviewed Alden.

"We were able to corroborate a lot of the things he told us," Locklear said. "We used that information, interviews with witnesses ... to get the arrest warrant."

Both men are currently being held without bond in the Cumberland County jail and are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys. John Wimunc's father declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press, but Alden's mother said her son's only involvement was giving a friend a ride to Fayetteville.

"He had no idea what was going on. He didn't do this," Connie Johnson said in a phone interview from her home in Pequot Lakes, Minn.

Fayetteville police began searching for Wimunc when she didn't show up for work Thursday. Co-workers could not find her at her apartment, but smelled what they suspected was a fire and called police. Once inside, investigators found evidence of arson.

Sgt. Chris Corcione said Monday that investigators found several points where the fire was started, but the blaze was concentrated in the apartment's rear bedroom. While the interior walls of the burned room were black with soot, Corcione said, the fire burned itself out and left behind useable evidence.

Holley Wimunc, 24, was commissioned by the Army Nurse Corps in 2007. Her first duty assignment was at Fort Bragg, where she worked in the mother and baby unit at Womack Army Medical Center.

Corcione said Wimunc was last seen alive the night of July 8, when she went out with friends and used her ATM card. Police believe she was dead when she was taken out of the apartment, but they are not yet sure when her body was taken to Onslow County.

Hudson said an attempt to burn the body set off a brush fire that drew the attention of authorities, and the body was located by Division of Forest Resources personnel. He said detectives likely would never have found her body had it been burned in a brush-free area about 100 feet away.

"It seems that someone tried to torch the body in the shallow grave," Hudson said.

Maj. Cliff W. Gilmore, a spokesman with the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, said both suspects are assigned to the division's 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion. John Wimunc has served one tour in Iraq from February to September 2006. The base said Wimunc also deployed to a non-combat zone from July 2007 to January 2008.

Alden deployed to Iraq from April to November 2007, the base said.

"All he wanted to do was defend our country," said his mother. "He has a wonderful, loving heart."

Holley Wimunc's father in Dubuque, Jesse James, said his daughter was a St. Ambrose University graduate, and excited about nursing and her career in the U.S. Army. She also had a son and daughter.

John Wimunc was not the father of Holley Wimunc's two children, and they were not in Fayetteville when the fire was reported. She had sent them to live with her father because of "the domestic situation," Corcione said.

Wimunc's death is the third homicide of a young North Carolina-based female service member in the past seven months.

In January, the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, of Vandalia, Ohio, was found in the back yard of a fellow Marine, Cpl. Cesar Laurean. He fled to Mexico and was captured in early April, and is charged with murder in her death.

Last month, the decomposing body of Spc. Megan Touma, of Cold Spring, Ky., was discovered in a motel near Fort Bragg. Authorities have made no arrests in that case, but stressed Monday it has no connection to Wimunc's death.

[neenga]

"THIS STORY GOES DEEPER THEN A MAN KILLING HIS WIFE,THIS TELLS A LOT ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AND IT''''S DECLINE. IT BEGAN IN 1964 AND HAS ONLY GOT WORSE WHEN THE BIBLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR LIFE BY GOVERNMENT LAWS AND WE WONDER WHY THE STREETS ARE OT SAFE TO WALK.WE AS A SCIETY GIVE PEOPLE NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS WHEN WE DON"T TEACH THE YOUNG PEOPLE RIGHT FROM WRONG AND LET EXPERTS DESTROY THE MINDS OF OUR YOUNG. PARENTS HAVE NO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR KIDS,THE EXPERTS,TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS WITH PSYCHOLOGY PHD"S AND DOCTORS LIKE DR PHIL CAN''''T EVEN RUN THEIR OWN LIFE AND TELL EVERYBODY ELSE HOW TO LIVE. TO SOLVE A PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE.NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILITARY."

So .. you''re saying Dr. Phil was involved in this murder? Or perhaps Dr. Joyce Brothers? Let''s see ... 1964, you say ... would that be the Civil Rights Act? Just what is the logic here?

[luvny-2009]

To those of you who think a service menber likes to kill. I killed a lot of people in Vietnam, and the last thing i want to do is kill anyone. I don''''''''t think anyone received more training on how to kill than i did, but anyone who enjoyed killing is very sick. These few committing crimes like this are not a representation of the majority of service members.

Posted by patriot12436 at 08:38 PM : Jul 14, 2008


I believe some of this is true but I also believe these guys now aday are a whole different generation than Vietnam.

[brianbwb-2009]

Google "Larium deaths" there is a story that soldiers going to "desert storm" were given this anti malaria vaccine, the company was fully aware, and stated on the label that side effects included severe depression, ans psychotic behavior, even after the recipients had stopped taking the medicine.

Not to even begin to look for an excuse for this pathetic coward, but it may be that he will have a credible defense.

[rational_1]

I killed in war and accept that, i also have to live with it every day of my life, knowing that i took the lives of others. I find it is not an easy thing to live with. Now i try to do as much good in life that i can, maybe it will make up for some of the bad i have done in my life. Karma is a cvery strong thing.
Posted by patriot12436 at 09:50 PM : Jul 14, 2008

Patriot I feel compelled to respond to your post. Yes, you killed during war, but as in all actions, intent is everything. In killing, what was your intent? Was your intent to survive or to ensure the survival of other members of your squad? Was it to fulfill a mandate sent down from your superiors? If so, by all means think back on what you did with regret, but not for a moment should you believe that what you did was wrong. Intent is everything.

[toldyouso12]

The picture of him is not a mugshot, if it was he wouldn''''t be smiling. When they have you in custody and you see those cold steel doors closing on your freedom, you will not be smiling.

Posted by patriot12436 at 08:41 PM : Jul 14, 2008


Actually, you are right that is not a mugshot--but a lot of criminals DO smile when they have their mugshots taken. If you ever have read or seen books with mugshots--a lot of the psychopaths in them are often grinning. The police do not want smiles or anything else that take away from the profile--but some of the crazier ones, smile or grin anyway. Maybe because they are finally coming back "home".

[toldyouso12]

To those of you who think a service menber likes to kill. I killed a lot of people in Vietnam, and the last thing i want to do is kill anyone. I don''''t think anyone received more training on how to kill than i did, but anyone who enjoyed killing is very sick. These few committing crimes like this are not a representation of the majority of service members.

Posted by patriot12436 at 08:38 PM : Jul 14, 2008


They say, once a person has killed, it is easier to do again. For former soldiers--it is not that they are believed to like to kill--it is that the normal inhibitions that prevent most people from killing are already gone after they return from war. This means that whatever psychologically stops people from murdering even when really upset, has already been removed in that soldier. Once a prohibited act has been breached, it is easier to breech it again, after all, there is really no difference in killing 1 or 3 or 10 times ---after the one, most people KNOW they can do it again and they get better at it and learning how to disregard/misplace/ignore the emotional damage of it.

[whatsup49]

michaelzm111 -- what does your inane comment have to do with this story? is the site you''re publicizing paying you? go troll somewhere els.

[toldyouso12]

THREE MURDERS FROM SOLDIERS IN NC THIS YEAR.

FROM THE ARTICLE: "Wimunc''s death is the third homicide of a young North Carolina-based female service member in the past seven months.

In January, the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, of Vandalia, Ohio, was found in the back yard of a fellow Marine, Cpl. Cesar Laurean. He fled to Mexico and was captured in early April, and is charged with murder in her death.

Last month, the decomposing body of Spc. Megan Touma, of Cold Spring, Ky., was discovered in a motel near Fort Bragg. Authorities have made no arrests in that case, but stressed Monday it has no connection to Wimunc''s death."

[luvny-2009]

This is like 2 in 6 months in NC. First Marine killed then burned his pregant girlfriend now this guy. SOME of these Marines are just lose nuts behind the wheel. I''ve seen them first hand, they are attracted to the Marines because it''s the tough guy macho appearance they are looking for. They hang on to the Marine name for years if not forever because that''s what they are taught and almost worship it like it''s a religion. God, Marine,then family is their brain washing way. You can pick these guys out a mile away too, usually buzzed hair even when they are out and a lot of them go into law enforcement because they still have the need for a uniform, DEMAND respect and most of all a gun to carry.

[chad55555]

In todays world this happens too much, it''s due to the fact we don''t teach our young about respect or devotion to each other.The doctors tell people if it feels good do it,marriage today is just a word,means nothing anymore.THIS STORY GOES DEEPER THEN A MAN KILLING HIS WIFE,THIS TELLS A LOT ABOUT OUR SOCIETY AND IT''S DECLINE. IT BEGAN IN 1964 AND HAS ONLY GOT WORSE WHEN THE BIBLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR LIFE BY GOVERNMENT LAWS AND WE WONDER WHY THE STREETS ARE OT SAFE TO WALK.WE AS A SCIETY GIVE PEOPLE NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS WHEN WE DON"T TEACH THE YOUNG PEOPLE RIGHT FROM WRONG AND LET EXPERTS DESTROY THE MINDS OF OUR YOUNG. PARENTS HAVE NO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR KIDS,THE EXPERTS,TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS WITH PSYCHOLOGY PHD"S AND DOCTORS LIKE DR PHIL CAN''T EVEN RUN THEIR OWN LIFE AND TELL EVERYBODY ELSE HOW TO LIVE. TO SOLVE A PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE.NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILITARY.