The NCIS is investigating the death of a military officer found on the Twentynine Palms Marine Base over the weekend.
According to information provided by the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office, Major General William Mullen, 59, of Arvada, CO, was found dead near Building 1651 at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center on Saturday, June 29.
Mullen recently retired as the Commanding General, Training and Education Command, for the Marine Corps and was a former Commanding General of the Twentynine Palms Base, serving in the role from 2016-2017. Major General Thomas B. Savage is the current Commanding General of the Twentynine Palms Marine Corp air ground combat center.
The County Coroner confirmed that an investigation is being conducted into Mullen’s death, and that the investigation is being handled by the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, which investigates major criminal incidents within the Navy and Marine Corps. Z107.7 has reached out to the NCIS for more information, and was told that they do not comment on active investigations.
The Coroner’s Office declined to provide the cause of Mullen’s death, or any further details.
UPDATED 7:15 p.m.:
Major General Savage, provided a statement, saying “Major General Mullen’s dedicated service to our nation and the Marine Corps will always be remembered. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”
UPDATED 9 a.m.:
A representative from the NCIS said that they are investigating the incident, as they do in responsed to “any non-combat, medically unattended fatalities involving Navy and USMC equities, service members, and affiliated civilian personnel.” They declined to comment further on what they called an “ongoing investigation.”
