Iraq vet charged with beating death of girlfriend

San Clemente man detained in 19-year-old girlfriend's beating death
Orange County deputies found the woman unconscious in the condo the couple shared. Relatives of the alleged assailant say he is an Iraq war veteran who has mental problems.

By Paloma Esquivel and Christine Hanley,
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
11:25 AM PDT, September 2, 2008

A 25-year-old Army veteran, who family members say was suffering from mental problems since returning from Iraq, was being held today on suspicion of murder in the beating death of his 19-year-old live-in girlfriend, authorities said.

John Wylie Needham was arrested after sheriff's deputies found his girlfriend unconscious and badly beaten with "obvious trauma to the face" inside the condo the couple apparently shared, said Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino.

Needham served in Iraq last year and was awarded a Purple Heart in 2007 for a combat injury, said Army spokesman Master Sgt. Keith O'Donnell. He retired for medical reasons after two years in the Army, he said.

Matt Needham, who identified himself as the brother of the man in custody, told KTLA-TV Channel 5 that his brother had not been the same since he returned home from serving in Iraq.

"He's been really mentally unstable for the past few months," Needham said. "He's been no good since he got back, I'll be honest. I mean, he's my brother, we grew up in the same crib together, I love him like no one else and it's sad to know the person who means the most to me, to completely write them off because they're crazy."click post title for more