Brittany Killgore Murder: Marine Louis Ray Perez Arrested For Killing Marine Wife

SAN DIEGO — A Marine already in custody in the theft of an assault weapon was booked Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the death of another Marine's wife, authorities said.

The latest allegation against Louis Ray Perez came a week after the body of 22-year-old Brittany Killgore was found in brush near a Southern California lake.

Sheriff's investigators identified the 45-year-old Perez as a person of interest shortly after the body was discovered.

The San Diego County district attorney's office said the case was under review.

Another suspect, Jessica Lynn Lopez, 25, pleaded not guilty to murder last week in Killgore's death. She is being held on $3 million bail.

Authorities have not said whether Lopez and Perez knew each other or whether they knew the victim.

Jeff Reichert, Perez's attorney, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Perez has been in the military for 16 years, has no criminal history, is married and has lived in the San Diego area for about 10 years, Reichert said in court last week. He is being held on $500,000 bail in Vista, north of San Diego.

Perez was arrested on the weapons charge the day after Killgore disappeared. Prosecutors said he stole the weapon from a man in early February but have not indicated whether they believe it was used to kill Killgore.

Her body was found near Lake Skinner in Riverside County about 25 miles northeast of her modest apartment complex in Fallbrook, a town of 38,000 people known for its avocado orchards, rolling hills and proximity to Camp Pendleton.

She died less than a week after filing for divorce from Lance Cpl. Cory Killgore, a Marine who was in Afghanistan when she disappeared. She cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce filing, which gave no other details.

Cory Killgore has not been named as a suspect or person of interest in the killing. The couple married in July 2010.

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Comments

[Thomas Patrick Sullivan]

12:56 PM on 05/17/2012

People snared by bondage and S/M are tapping powerful and dangerous, base emotions in their reptilian brains. Using sexuality as a vehicle to release these perturbations is not an uncommon phenomenon.

Sexual gratification is the intended result. However, especially in persons who aren’t stable and well-grounded, physical harm can be an unintended (or, indeed intended) occurrence.

In hindsight it is easy to suggest that Mrs. Killgore, given that one of the trio disliked her, should have had a viable “Plan B” should events go haywire, as obviously happened in her situation.

All women, singularly when they venture alone, should make known that “others” know exactly where they are, where they are going and that the people they are going to meet are well apprised of this fact.

This precaution would have more than possibly saved Brittany’s life.

[Rainsgirl]

05:14 PM on 04/26/2012

This has nothing to do with the men being Marines.. Why is that in the headline? and why is it mentioned in the article several times? irrelevant.

[charles000]

09:00 PM on 04/25/2012

This whole episode is just sad . . . tragic.

The larger picture here is the price that so many in the military are often faced with, as they are sent out to extended deployment. Marriages and relationships can be challenging even under "normal" civilian circumstances, but are particularly difficult in military situations.

I'm not in any way excusing murder and what was done here, but I do recognize the exceptional emotional challenges that military relationships can and often do experience.

[quienwho]

01:56 PM on 04/25/2012

Here are facts for those blaming the victim or her widower. Lopez: after murder attempted suicide, her note told authorities where to find victim. Lopez and Perez: using aliases, rented rooms in a house rigged up as s&m dungeon. Lopez: online as a s*x slave. Perez: online as dungeon master. Those facts are public since last week. Mrs. Killgore not having an affair w/ Perez, was 3 days from leaving state, belongings already shipped home to parents, her carry on prepared, told her grandma she was meetingPerez and "his girlfriend" at this same house for evening out, a dinner cruise, one last evening on water. Police confirm she was dressed for same. That night she goes missing. Mr. Killgore informed, summoned home to search for missing wife, same to her parents and relatives. Tuesday: Mrs. Killgore's body is found.
Bless the soul of Mrs. Killgore, and may her suffering parents be uplifted in prayer.
And may poor Mr. Killgore be uplifted in prayer -- he's no longer home to find his missing wife, he's home to bury his murdered wife...the poor man has been through enough and needs support, not condemnation from the public whose freedom he is protecting. Please cease dishonoring him and Mrs. Killgore's memory.

[salamanca1]

08:01 PM on 04/25/2012

Thank you for that update. Faved.

[Jeets]

12:40 PM on 04/25/2012

If you read the links below, you will soon find out this has very little to do with the military and everything to do with S&M and SEX SLAVES. The links are from the area that this happened and they are way more indepth and factual then a quick story put out by the bigger news corps.
Now that I have your attention try it and read it for yourselves!

[Jeets]

01:07 PM on 04/25/2012

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/22/tp-fallbrook-house-may-hold-clues-to-marine-wifes/?print&page=all

[quienwho]

02:00 PM on 04/25/2012

You are very correct. Though I'm surprised HP publishes your post. I tried same yesterday 3 times, but they rejected all three. Perez is a horrible excuse for a Marine. He and Lopez both heavily involved in s&m lifestyle, the house where they rented rooms rigged up for same, the same house Mrs. Killgore was asked to meet Perez and "his girlfriend" for a peaceful evening out, same house of murder scene. She is not to blame, Mr. Killgore is not to blame -- they are both innocent victims.
Very puzzing why HP refuses to publish these facts which have been published elsehwere since last week, including reporting on local news, and also by law enforcement. Thank you.

[jason thomson]

02:47 PM on 04/25/2012

If you write something up stupidly or ignorantly & it holds little credit then HP will post it, knowing you will likely be ripped apart by others anyway, BUT if you write something that is even remotely intelligent & it is against the 'status quo' then you will be lucky if it gets posted. HP seems pretty much like the rest of the bottom feeding corporate news like 'Fox' & other mainstream manipulators.

[LeftRight]

12:28 PM on 04/25/2012

So they've got two suspects in a murder, and they don't know whether they did the crime together or even if they KNEW each other?? Um......

[Jeets]

12:28 PM on 04/25/2012

Read the links below. SHE is charged with First degree murder. SHE tried to kill herself and left a note. SHE is the one that they think killed her and possibly he is an accesorie. This stoy is only the tip of the iceburg.

[shawman65]

12:07 PM on 04/25/2012

Was she sleeping with Trayvon Martin?

[jcstarkman]

11:50 AM on 04/25/2012

Why is the murder suspect, Perez, being held on a $500,000 bond, while the non-murder suspect, Lopez, is being held on a $3,000,000 bond?

[jason thomson]

10:38 AM on 04/25/2012

"What makes the grass grow"? BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD
"What do we do for a living, ladies"? KILL KILL KILL

18 U.S veterans commit suicide each day, over a million in prison & many end up killing their wives or others. you can't spend years creating & programming ppl into killing machines then expect to just 'switch it off' when they come home & it will all go away. One day you'r in very real & immediate danger, watching ppl get their legs blown off & their skin burned, another day you'r walking through a shopping mall. I imagine the memories & constant nightmares would be maddening. I know ppl who are not Marines kill, & i know a lot of Marines come home stronger & more stable but its not completely surprising to me where their notoriety for killing spouses etc comes from.

[DaveintheD]

10:29 AM on 04/25/2012

hubby may have hired out a hit out of anger and jealosy and to avoid a messy, costly divorce. Seen it on Dateline 12 times.

[seattleite4]

10:51 AM on 04/25/2012

BUT--This soldier is in Afghanistan and is not here to speak on his own behalf so why don't we give him the benefit of the doubt--since he is away in dangerous territory to support our country? How about that?

We don't know the facts so why not wait for them?

[LeftRight]

12:28 PM on 04/25/2012

I agree...

[Jeets]

12:32 PM on 04/25/2012

He had nothing to do with it! He was granted a leave as soon as his wife went missing. They have been seperated since January before he was deployed. Read the links below and you will get a much BIGGER picture of what is going on here.

[Jeets]

10:24 AM on 04/25/2012

http://murrieta.patch.com/articles/second-arrest-made-in-brittany-dawn-killgore-murder-investigation-0a95dfe4

Just google this and you will see this story is MUCH SICKER then anyones guessing games on here.

[jgfsmf]

11:36 AM on 04/25/2012

Here's a link within that link that tells quite a bit.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/22/tp-fallbrook-house-may-hold-clues-to-marine-wifes/?print&page=all

[brigida17]

12:04 PM on 04/25/2012

wow...thanks for that info.

[Josie1928]

10:19 AM on 04/25/2012

And these murderer's are hired to protect us and our freedom. Scary..RIP

[seattleite4]

10:55 AM on 04/25/2012

There are murderers in the military, teachers, doctors, students, mothers, fathers, nurses--you name it. Don't be so short sighted. You can't name any group of people or workers that doesn't harbor a murderer.

[jwgill]

10:10 AM on 04/25/2012

Mr. Spagat:
Thank you for your story regarding the tragic death of Mrs. Killgore. However, you might point out to AOL that a U.S. Marine is not referred to as a "soldier".
-gulltool

[OhioSpeaks]

09:40 AM on 04/25/2012

how did he get to age 45 w/ out any criminal record and then end up like this?

[nancy kriescher]

09:58 AM on 04/25/2012

Many criminals are crafty , sometimes their is criminality, in all areas, in their lives.. but they are never caught, or a crafty.:)