Third Suspect in Killgore Death to be Arraigned Tuesday

A third person accused of involvement in the slaying of a 22-year-old North County military wife whose nude body was found dumped alongside a rural road in southern Riverside County last month will be arraigned Tuesday on a murder charge, prosecutors announced today.

Dorothy Grace Marie Maraglino, 36, was arrested at a downtown San Diego hotel Thursday night in connection with the death of Brittany Killgore of Fallbrook. Sheriff Bill Gore said her arrest was a result of information obtained during the ongoing investigation in the case.

Killgore's body was found in a brushy area near Lake Skinner on April 17, four days after she went missing. Sheriff's officials have declined to reveal the cause of death, only saying she was a victim of "homicidal violence."

Also charged in the case are Jessica Lynn Lopez, 25, and Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Louis Ray Perez, 45. Each remains jailed in lieu of $3 million bail after pleading not guilty to murder.

On the night she disappeared, Killgore had plans to go out in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter with Perez and another woman who canceled at the last minute, according to investigators. Killgore sent a text message later that night to a friend, saying she needed help, Deputy District Attorney Patrick Espinoza said at Perez's arraignment.

Investigators subsequently contacted Perez, who said he had dropped off Killgore in downtown San Diego, when in fact he had been in Fallbrook at the time in question, according to Espinoza.

During a search of Perez's vehicle, detectives discovered the victim's blood and an undisclosed type of weapon, the prosecutor told a judge.

Killgore filed for divorce from her Marine husband several days before her death. At the time, he was serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Killgore's family said she was in the process of moving to Pennsylvania to be with family when she went missing. He has not been implicated in her slaying.

— City News Service