Holley Wimunc Tribute

Two U.S. Marines have been arrested in connection with the death of a U.S. Army nurse who was married to one of the Marines. Marine Cpl. John Wimunc, 23, was charged with first-degree murder after the body of his wife, Army 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, was found in a brush fire in North Carolina.

Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden, 22, was charged with first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson and accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Both were arrested at Camp Lejeune.

Authorities said Lt. Wimunc did not show up for work last Thursday at Womack Army Medical Center and co-workers could not contact her. She was last seen last Tuesday, July 8, when she went out with friends.

Apartment Bedroom Burned

When police went to her apartment, they found her car in the parking lot and found evidence of a fire inside her apartment. Army Sgt. Chris Corcione said the walls of Wimunc's bedroom were black with soot, but the fire apparently burned itself out.

On Sunday, a brush fire in Onslow County led Forestry personnel to find Lt. Wimunc's body burned in a shallow grave. District attorney Dewey Hudson said apparently someone tried to burn her body in the grave and accidentally set off the brush fire, attracting attention to the area.

"It seems that someone tried to torch the body in the shallow grave," Hudson said. "It seems to me that the fire in that location came from the burning inside the grave." Hudson believes the body may never have been discovered if it had not been for the brush fire leading authorities to the area.

Two Marines Arrested

The brush fire and the shallow grave were discovered in an area near Lance Cpl. Alden's residence. After they interviewed Alden on Sunday, authorities arrested John Wimunc (left) on murder charges and conspiracy to commit arson in the death of his wife and charged Alden (right) as his accomplice.

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