Sad details today as the body of Erin Corwin, who went missing in June, was found 140 feet down in a mine shaft near Joshua Tree National Park. Her former neighbor was arrested in connection with her death. The LA Times reports:
Cpl. Christopher Brandon Lee, a former next door neighbor who is suspected of having had an affair with Erin Corwin, 19, was arrested by federal authorities on Sunday in Anchorage, more than a month after Corwin went missing June 28.
Lee had reportedly planned to take Corwin on a hunting trip the same day she disappeared.
“We certainly believed in the beginning her disappearance was suspicious,” San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said.
Authorities said more arrests could be made in their ongoing investigation. They are also working to verify whether Corwin was pregnant at the time of her death.
UPDATE (1:37PM): Erin Corwin’s family has released a statement:
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to us early Monday, August 18th that Erin’s body has been found. While we were praying for a different outcome, we cannot begin to express the gratitude we have for every person that has been involved in the search for Erin. The countless hours that have been spent by volunteer search crews and multiple branches of law enforcement, especially the Specialized Investigations Division Homicide Detail, are more than we could have asked for and are ultimately what have led to finding her.
While we are relieved to have closure, we ask that our privacy be respected over the next few weeks so that we can properly grieve and mourn the loss of our sweet girl. Please continue to pray for our family and for justice for Erin and her unborn baby. Thank you all for your continued support.
The families of Jonathan and Erin Corwin
