Dead soldier's ex-husband speaks out

FAYETTEVILLE

Wednesday, Megan Touma's ex husband, El Sayed Touma, spoke about her death.

"I mean the Army knows that she stayed in that hotel or motel; they put her in there and didn't even check on her to make sure she was okay. And when her family called the Army to check on their daughter, because they hadn't heard from her in a while, the Army said she was AWOL, and her mother said 'she would never go AWOL'," he said.

El Sayed says the couple were married for three years and divorced last year. He says there are no answers that will heal his broken heart.

"I still love her. I'm married now and I have a wife and a baby on the way, but I still love Megan, I do. I will never stop," El Sayed said. "She was a great person, she was lively, she was full of joy. She had a great smile and I just hate to see her go."

Megan was 7 months pregnant when she was found dead in a Fayetteville motel Saturday.

Fort Bragg officials held a news conference Wednesday afternoon and released new information about the Army specialist.

Officials say she came to Fort Bragg days ago, but say they have no information on any domestic trouble or problems with anyone they know of. They also said they are not aware of anyone who have wanted to kill her.

Police say customers at the Fairfield Inn complained of a strong odor coming from a room -- that's where they found the 23-year-old.

Investigators believe the woman had been dead several days. Police won't release any information about the circumstances of her death.

Touma joined the Army five years ago, and arrived in Fayetteville a few days ago after returning from Germany as a dental specialist.

During Wednesday's news conference, Fort Bragg officials say Touma was last seen on June 12, and she lived off post.

"We're shocked, first and foremost," Public Affairs Officer Major Angela Funaro said. "It's always sad when you lose a soldier and on top of that, here was a beautiful young woman. She was seven months pregnant. It's just sad and deeply troubling. We want to find out what happened to her and make sure that we and her family get all the answers we can to find out what happened here."

Fayetteville Police said they would not release any more details on Touma's death.

Her autopsy is reportedly complete, but police will not comment on the results.

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