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Brittany Killgore was reported missing April 14. Her body was found a few days later.
A Marine’s wife who was killed and left on the side of the road in California texted a friend for help on the night of her disappearance, a deputy district attorney said in court.
Investigators say that three days after seeking a divorce from her husband deployed in Afghanistan, 22-year-old Brittany Killgore of San Diego disappeared after a night out with another Marine.
On Thursday that Marine, Luis Ray Perez, 45, was charged with first-degree murder in Killgore’s death.
Prosecutors outlined their version of Killgore's last hours alive.
"She sent a text saying, 'Help,'" Patrick Espinoza, a deputy district attorney in San Diego County, said in court. "She was missing from that point on."
Killgore's message to an unidentified friend was disclosed at an arraignment for Perez, who pleaded not guilty to murder.
The brief hearing offered the most details yet of what authorities believe happened to Killgore after she disappeared on April 13.
Espinoza said investigators found Killgore's blood and a weapon in Perez's car. He also said Perez told investigators he dropped off Killgore in downtown San Diego's bustling Gaslamp District, but investigators concluded that he lied about his whereabouts and stayed in the town of Fallbrook, about 60 miles north, where Killgore lived.
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Authorities said Killgore's body was found in brush near Lake Skinner on April 17, only hours after paramedics were called to a San Diego motel and found another woman with self-inflicted cuts and a suicide note.
Jessica Lynn Lopez, 25, was the woman found at the motel, authorities said. She also has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The prosecutor said Lopez and Perez once lived together but didn't indicate when or where. Lopez currently lives a mile from Killgore's second-floor apartment overlooking Camp Pendleton.
Espinoza didn't disclose a possible motive or other details about the death during the hearing, and he later declined to elaborate on the investigation.
It's still unclear how Killgore died and whether the unspecified weapon authorities said they found in Perez's car was used in the killing.
Perez's attorney, Jeff Reichert, said Lopez's suicide note shows "very, very clearly" that she killed Killgore and that his client was not involved.
"The court has information in its hands that exonerates my client on this charge," Reichert said.
However, details of the note were not released, and Superior Court Judge Kimberlee Lagotta ordered it to be sealed.
Perez, a Marine for 16 years who is married and has lived in the San Diego area for 10 years, has also pleaded not guilty to stealing an assault weapon. The prosecutor said Perez stole the weapon and a motorcycle from a trailer at Camp Pendleton.
The death has shaken many at Camp Pendleton and neighboring Fallbrook, known for its rolling hills and avocado orchards. The Killgores lived in one of several apartment complexes on Ammunition Road that advertise special rates for military members and is close to a base entrance.
Killgore recently separated from Marine Lance Cpl. Cory Killgore, who was in Afghanistan when she disappeared. She cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce filing but gave no other details.
Cory Killgore made his first public comments about his wife's death in a statement released Thursday by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department:
"My wife Brittany, was beautiful beyond words and her murder has left me devastated. My duty to her memory is now to ensure her good reputation remains intact, and help law enforcement and prosecutors secure justice for the person, or persons who took her away from me.
Brittany's death cannot be in vain – at this point, I don't know how to use this tragedy for good, but others have found their way and I hope to do the same. Brittany meant too much to do any less. As my father‐in‐law said, please honor my wife's name and don't succumb to salacious gossip and rumor. Brittany was a beautiful, good person, who did not deserve this."
The judge set bail at $3 million each for Perez and Lopez and scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 30. If convicted, they could face maximum sentences of life in prison.
This report includes information from NBCLosAngeles.com, NBCSanDiego.com and The Associated Press.
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Leave a Comment:
Even if the woman, J.L. Lopez killed Brittany, Sgt. Perez appears to be complicit in the crime, even if after the fact.
Read other articles from the city, the three of them were involved in an S & M triangle. Since she was moving away back to her parents, Perez probably got mad and killed her. While she should not have been killed! She also should not have been cheating on her deployed husband in a three way S & M triangle.
There is no excuse to murder someone. Believe me, I've been angry at girlfriends before, but murder never crossed my mind. Perez and the other chick are obviously psychos. Pretty soon, his lawyer will probably claim PTSD as a defense.
Damnit, devildogs. Where's your fking integrity lately?
Marines have integrity did you lose yours? 0331 88'-91'
Not in this case Charles.
Not in many cases, lately. We're letting our asses show all over the place in the last several months.
A lot of kind words by Cory Killgore for someone who had just dumped him while he was deployed to a combat zone. I doubt that I would have been so kind.
Some have suggested that Cory Killgore knows Perez and/or Lopez and that he may in some way be involved. As far as I know there is no evidence to support this, but you have to admit the timing of her murder, three days after filing for divorce, is a little suspect. Could this be a case of one Marine taking care of a problem for another, who knows??? Killgore's reaction to the death of his wife, who just dumped him while he was deployed, does seem to be a little off. Is he being extremely honorable so as not to speak ill of the dead or is he doing this to keep suspicion off of himself?!?! Was there some kind of relationship going on between Perez and Brittany Killgore? All I know for certain is that there is definitely more to this story than we know right now.
Not only dumped him but it also sounds like she had been cheating on him. Who knows? Only one thing is for sure and that's that people are crazy as hell.
Some people are honorable enough that they don't stoop to dragging their wifes name through the mud. They apparently were not divorced -yet. Sometimes people just can't live together. It doesn't mean one of them is a bad person.
JS probably more likely it was because she was moving back to her parents and broke off her three way S&M with Perez more then having anything to do with husband.
JS read these articles also, even though Perez is married they talk about him having a girlfriend and a sex slave.
Sounds like love triangle to me.
Nope. Sounds like a favor being done for someone who did not really appreciate it.....yet.
I gotta wonder about the statement attributed to Cory Kilgore - this sounds more like something that a lawyer or more like a public relations person would have put together. Has that indefinable odor of a mixture of plastic and BS - just not real.
jag lawyers are free in the military. probably would be nutz if he did not talk to one. even though he was half a world away.
When making a public statement, especially at an emotional time such as this, it is important to choose one's words carefully. Even though they were estranged—which could have happened after Cory's deployment—he did the right thing by keeping his wife's memory positive.
Unheard of in the negative world of wychdoctor, lots of divorces are amicable--i'm a closer friend with my former wife than we ever were when we were married.
well, that's you and then, the rest of the world. Lots of possibilities.
exactly. It will come up. No tracks in the sand ever vanish. Too many tracks in this case.
Believe it or not, there are people who have some class. Don't assume the husband's statement is bs, just because so much of the world is full of crap.
I don't understand... How did Perez/Lopez know Brittany? I understand the two men are Marines, but were they friends? Enemies? Frienemies?
I think there are connections within the marines families...they will do special favors to each other.....
Karma is a BITCH! RIP Brittany
Nice speech from the dead girl's husband who was coming home that day and by the way was divorcing her.....about "them " apples ? Is that a coincidence or what ?
You got it backwards, she was divorcing him.
Please read the story before you comment.
Yeah yeah to you too. Correction : she was dumping him. How many marines take being dumped gracefully ? do you know any ? these guys are not gun shy.
I have never had a Marine be disrespectful around me.
I am married to a Marine and when we separated for a short time we were better friends then ever, it made for an easier reconciliation.
Other than being fellow Marines the ties or relationship between Luis Ray Perz and Cory Killgore is a big part of this. Since the prosecution has not mentioned it either way, that I can tell, I think this is very relevant to them as well. There is more to come in this saga.
wonder why she did not just dial 911 instead of texting?
Good question!
She could have been in a situation where voice communication could have revealed her location or intent?
she should have 911... and phone a friend...doesn't work well it's deadly...trayvon...
I hope they both rot for this.
This is another reason why young Marines should not get married.
21 year active duty Marine
Its not just young Marines these days. Current divorce rate with multiple deployments is running between 80-90% (depending who you ask). Besides, you know as well as I do (and everyone who has ever served), you not going to convince young Marines or Soldiers they shouldn't marry.
It should be a regulation. Combat deployed troops should not be allowed to be married or have children.
You know how ludicrous that sounds while divorce is high in the military it's not just among low ranks one and two to deny a person their given right to family would go so far towards Communism why would anyone serve our country. You want to see suicide rates in the military climb try to put that in regulation.
LOL YArrr I don't like that, I'm gonna call it communism. Government can set any terms for enlistment they want. People are free not to enlist. I don't care about the soldiers so much as I care about the state of the country, it would reduce the amount of cases in family court and also help prevent fatherless orphans. If someone enlists they should have one single worry, how best to serve the military and see it's goals brought to fruition. We don't need troops worrying about finding a woman or what their wife is up to or even about their children. They should be singular in their thought process.
DanTheManOfVegas-
I think what you are looking for to defend our country then are robots and not people. And you also sound very selfish, and self-important with the attitude that people serving should have no desires for family, kids etc., and absolutely nothing going on in their life except defending your freedoms and rights. By the way, there are plenty of fatherless children out there and they are not orphans.
Luis Ray Perez is a black hispanic and the victim is white hispanic MSNBC forgot to mention it.
Maybe it makes no difference. Everything doesn't have to be about race.
They already have the murderer and her confession, the prosecutor is just fishing and hoping to score points on a higly publicized case by charging Perez, so how about you go be a pathetic little girl somewhere ese you mron
up yours I love exposing liberals to their own racism it makes me laugh
Doug
you displayed who the real racist is...and those who understand that - we are not laughing with you...we are laughing at you!
"stayed in Fthe town of Fallbrook"
What did the town of Fallbrook do to you?
...?
I got nothing.
I just saw a photo of Lopez....Yikes!
Dear Marine, I'm sorry but life is hard, the truth is your wife has most likely been messing around behind your back for awhile, or OK we can believe she was out dating another man for the first time days after she filed the papers to dump you. Sadly, another woman was jealous of the affair your soon to be ex-wife was having with her boyfriend and murdered your wife in a jealous rage.
I wonder if the person who received the text, "help", from the victim did they called 911 or just ignored it?
seems to me like a cheater got what they deserved...