Marines accused of attempted murder served together in Afghanistan

The two Marines from Camp Pendleton charged with attempted murder in an assault on the pregnant ex-girlfriend of one of the men had recently served in Afghanistan together.

Now the pair, accused of kicking the eight-months pregnant woman in the stomach in an attempt to cause a miscarriage, are in custody in the Shasta County jail, according to the Redding Record Searchlight.

The woman gave birth hours after the attack to a healthy baby boy. Authorities say one of the Marines, Lance Swann of Laguna Niguel, is the child’s father and that he was upset about the pregnancy and did not want to pay child support.

Swann and Jeffrey Walton of Ventura served in Afghanistan where the two 20-year-olds performed general duties and served as entry security at Camp Leatherneck, the newspaper said.

Also charged as a co-conspirator was Erica Swann, Lance Swann’s cousin, who police say alerted the men in text messages about the whereabouts of the victim, Nicole Vultaggio, 18, when the women were walking on a trail along the Sacramento River.

Both Walton and Erica Swann, 29, have pleaded not guilty. Lance Swann is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.

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-- Larry Gordon