In a Camp Pendleton courtroom on Tuesday (October 12), HM2 Edmond Maebane was charged in the 2019 shooting death of corpsman HM3 Michael De Leon aboard MCAGCC. Maebane was formally charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and obstruction of justice by giving false information to a 911 operator, according to an ABC 10News report.
HM3 Michael De Leon, 30, was shot and killed during a house party on the base on August 16, 2019. At the time, Z107.7 News had learned that De Leon was partying and drinking with at least four other corpsmen, and during the party, a gun was brought out and fired, killing De Leon. De Leon’s family said they were initially told it was suicide; months later they learned De Leon had been shot by another corpsman, now identified as Maebane.
Over the summer, HM1 Ryan Dini was found guilty of dereliction of duty resulting in death. He was sentenced to 100 days in the brig and a rank reduction from E-6 to E-5. HM2 Mason Williams also faced charges and was found guilty of dereliction of duty and disorderly conduct, dropping his rank from E-4 to E-1.
Going forward, the judge advocate who oversaw Maebane’s hearing will review submissions from both sides of the court and decide whether they recommend the charges be dismissed or sustained.
