Rape trial hits home for Lauterbach

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The mother of a murdered Marine, Maria Lauterbach, spoke out on Tuesday about a huge military sex abuse scandal playing out at Lackland Air Force Base.

On Tuesday, a cadet told a military court in Texas her basic training instructor assaulted her in his office, then told her to keep quiet.

She is the first of 10 women to testify against  Staff Sergeant Luis Walker. Walker denies raping her, but is one of a dozen trainers at Lackland Air Force base, now accused of sex crimes against 30 cadets.

As disturbing as this case is, Lauterbach said there is hope it will ultimately help improve the safety of women who serve our country.

"I feel very heartened that they are actually able to address these cases now, because for so long they just haven't been prosecuted," said Mary Lauterbach.  "They've been ignored".

Mary's daughter Maria was murdered in 2007 after she reported she had been raped by a fellow Marine at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The man she accused of rape, Cesar Laurean, was later found guilty of muder and sentenced to life.

"I feel very responsible for Maria," added Mary.  "She was afraid of reporting her attack and I pushed her into it. I told her she owed it to her sister marines and because of that I feel a real responsibility for what happened to her".

As a result, Mary has become an advocate fighting for changes in the way the military investigates sexual assaults.

"I tell them about my daughter's situation, but I take the approach that we are not trying to embarrass or belittle the military," said Mary. "We are trying to learn from the mistakes and assumptions that were made and to try and overcome those, so that when people make rape accusations it's taken seriously and acted upon strongly".

Mary said that is what she sees happening at Lackland with the accused now on trial.

"That is a real step in the right direction. It gives you a sense that they are taking this seriously now".