A Winchester, Va. man who recently had lived in Morgan County and was reported missing earlier this month in New Mexico has been found dead by officers in Taos County, N.M.
Morgan County friends of Matthew McLaughlin had locally shared posters of the 25 year old Army veteran in hopes that someone might recognize him. They became aware that McLaughlin was in New Mexico but had not been responding to communications with his mother or family since July 26. McLaughlin was reported missing on July 31.
The Taos County Sheriff’s Department shared a Missing Persons poster on the social media page on August 4. On Monday, August 18, Sheriff Steve Miera reported in a public statement that McLaughlin’s remains had been found.
According to Sheriff Miera’s statement, deputies were following up on their Missing Persons investigation on August 17 by executing a search warrant of McLaughlin’s residence in Tres Piedras and questioning his roommates. Those roommates had served with McLaughlin in the same Army unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. Investigation revealed that those two men, Rainor Joiner of Tres Piedras and David Degroat of Georgia, were wanted for desertion from the Army.
During questioning, Joiner, 23, admitted that he had fatally shot McLaughlin and, with the help of Degroat, dismembered McLaughlin and disposed of his remains in multiple places along U.S. 64 in Tres Piedras.
According to Sheriff Miera, Joiner led police to where the remains had been placed. Those remains are now in the possession of the Office of the Medical Investigator.
Joiner and Degroat have been charged with first degree murder and other felonies, the sheriff said in his statement.