'Zodiac' Letters Tied Suspect to GI's Murder

July 30, 2008— -- The Army sergeant accused of killing a pregnant female soldier was the father of her unborn child and wrote letters pretending to be a serial killer to mislead investigators, police said today.

Sgt. Edgar Patino, 27, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Army Spc. Megan Touma, a 23-year-old Fort Bragg soldier found dead in a motel bathtub in Fayetteville, N.C., more than a month ago.

Patino, who is married to another woman, is being held without bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Cumberland County later today.

"We feel there is significant evidence that Patino published those letters, mailed those letters with the intent of throwing off the investigators," Sgt. Chris Corcione said at a morning news conference.

Authorities also confirmed that Patino had fathered Touma's unborn child, but would not comment on a specific motive or cause of death. The results of a joint military and state autopsy will be released when the report is complete, police said.

Touma, a divorced dental specialist who arrived at Fort Bragg on June 12 after being stationed in Germany, died inside a Fairfield Inn motel room either late on June 13 or June 14. The key to Touma's motel room was last used the night of July 13.

Patino was transferred to Fort Bragg in December 2007, according to a U.S. Army spokesman in Europe. He previously was assigned as a combat engineer in Bamberg, Germany. Military officials at the press conference said they have interviewed soldiers and acquaintances of the suspect and victim in Europe, but offered little detail about the pair's possible relationship.

It was not clear whether the two soldiers knew each other while in Germany.

Touma's body was not found until June 21, when a maintenance worker smelled a foul odor and ignored a "Do Not Disturb" sign on Touma's motel door. Inside, he found the body of the Cold Spring, Ky., native.