
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 9, 1990                   TAG: 9003092122
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SLAIN MARINE INVOLVED IN PROBE OF MILITARY EMBEZZLEMENT

A Quantico Marine Corps corporal shot to death earlier this week in a Woodbridge parking lot was assisting an inquiry into an alleged embezzlement scheme involving personnel assigned to the helicopter squadron that serves President Bush, law enforcement sources said Thursday.

According to the sources, Cpl. Estella Pearson, 26, who was killed Monday, was probing a scheme apparently involving the payment of travel money for trips never taken by military personnel, they said.

One of those charged with Pearson's murder was aware that Pearson was part of the inquiry, according to a criminal complaint.

Wednesday night, Prince William County police charged Markeithia Reene Reeves and Tania Theresa Morton with first-degree murder in the slaying of Pearson. Reeves is a civilian clerk employed at the Quantico Marine Corps Base and Morton is a civilian clerk and typist for the U.S. Department of the Navy in Alexandria.

The Quantico Marine Corps public affairs office confirmed that the Naval Investigative Service was probing the alleged embezzlement scheme, but declined to name suspects or give other details.

Military officials at the 60,000-acre Quantico base about 45 miles south of Washington, started the embezzlement inquiry after a Marine complained that money had been authorized for a trip he never took, said a source who asked not to be identified.

Pearson, whose responsibilities included reviewing financial files, apparently was compiling records concerning the matter; whether on her own or at the request of superiors is not known. "A couple of days" before her death, Pearson's file on the matter disappeared from her office, said the source.

The 550-member Helicopter Squadron One performs several duties, including transporting President Bush and government officials, evaluating and testing military helicopters and providing support training for military exercises. The helicopters and their pilots are based at Quantico.

by CNB