'Zodiac' Letter Clue in Pregnant Soldier's Death

When the body of seven-month-pregnant Army Specialist Megan Touma was found in an off-base motel bathtub June 21 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a crossed circle symbol was drawn in lipstick on the mirror. The same symbol was at the bottom of a letter received by a local newspaper in which the writer took credit for the death of Touma.

Although investigators believe the symbols, in the style of the San Francisco area Zodiac Killer from the 1960s, is a ruse to throw them off, the letter is a key piece of evidence in the case.

Touma, 23 (pictured), was a dental specialist who joined the Army in 2003 and recently completed a tour of duty in Germany. She was divorced, but was seven months pregnant. She returned to Fort Bragg on June 12 and was last seen alive around that time.

Her body was found by a maintenance man at the motel after guests complained of a foul odor. Police found the Zodiac symbol on the mirror and they removed a section of blood-splatter drywall from the room.

The 'Zodiac' Letter

The Fayetteville Observer published the contents of the letter over the weekend:

"The following is to inform that I am responsible for the dead body," the typewritten letter read. "It was a master piece. I confess, that I have killed many times before in several states, but now I will start using my role-model's signature. There will be many more to come."

Authorities do not believe the writer of the letter is a serial killer, but they do believe the author was Touma's killer.

"We just believe that it was merely a tactic used to divert us off of what we are doing, and to cause panic in the community, which we have to deal with, too," Fayetteville police spokesman Lt. David Sportsman told reporters. "But we don't believe there's a serial killer in Fayetteville."

Looking for a Motive

Touma's death has officially been termed a homicide, but investigators have not released a cause of death nor have they offered a possible motive.

"We're pursuing every lead," said Chris Grey, a spokesman for the Army's Criminal Investigation Command, which has entered the investigation. "We want to find out exactly what happened to Spc. Touma."

A soldier studying psychological warfare at Fort Bragg has been called a person of interest in the case, but he has not been detained. Sportsman said he was cooperating with the investigation.

See Also:
Letter Writer Boasts of Killing Pregnant Soldier

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^{Photo: U.S. Army}