Tragic Discovery: Three Marines Found Dead Inside Vehicle Near Camp Lejeune
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The identities of three lance corporals whose bodies were found in a car at the Camp Lejeune military post in North Carolina have been made public by the Marine Corps. According to a Facebook post from the Pender County Sheriff's Office, the three men were discovered unconscious in a car at the Speedway convenience station in Hampstead, North Carolina, early on Sunday morning.
One of the dead Marines has been named by the 2nd Marine Logistics Group as Tanner J. Kaltenberg, a 19-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, who enlisted in the military in May 2021. Merax C. Dockery, 23, from Pottawatomie, Oklahoma, enlisted as a lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps in June 2020.
Finally, in July 2019, 23-year-old Ivan R. Garcia of Naples, Florida, became active. All three were vehicle operators for the 2nd Marine Logistics Group's Combat Logistics Battalion 2.
The Pender County Sheriff's Office became aware of the tragedy after receiving a report of a missing person. The law enforcement personnel that arrived on site found the three deceased Marines.
While assuring the public that there was no real danger, the sheriff's office noted on Facebook that an investigation was still underway. Neither the Marine Corps nor the sheriff's office have said what killed the three service members.
The 2nd Marine Logistics Group's commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Michael McWilliams released a statement expressing his condolences to the loved ones and fellow service members of Lance Cpl. Kaltenberg, Dockery, and Garcia. He emphasized that at this time of unprecedented difficulty, their focus was on helping individuals who had suffered the worst losses.
This heartbreaking news came from yet another recent disaster involving Marines. A month ago, the Los Angeles Times reported four people perished in a catastrophic automobile wreck on a California highway; three of them were Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton.
The three Marines' deaths outside of Camp Lejeune are still being investigated, the military and the general public have come together to grieve their loss, and the military is still investigating the incident. During this time of significant loss, the families and friends of the fallen will have the undivided support of their fellow Marines and the community.
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