3 Marines found dead in car died of carbon monoxide poisoning, North Carolina officials say

Three Marine lance corporals from Camp Lejeune found dead in a vehicle Sunday morning outside a North Carolina store died of carbon monoxide poisoning, officials said Wednesday.

Deputies found the bodies around 9 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of a Hampstead convenience store, about one hour from the military training facility. The deputies were responding to a missing person report, the Pender County Sheriff's Office said. The office had received a phone call on Sunday morning from a woman who said her son, a Marine, had failed to arrive on a flight to Oklahoma the night before. 

Later that morning, deputies found the body of the missing Marine, along with those of the two other Marines, inside the vehicle. 

Autopsies performed Wednesday by the office of the North Carolina Medical Examiner revealed all the deaths were due to carbon monoxide poisoning, Pender County officials said. No further details about the circumstances of their deaths were given.

The men were identified by the U.S. Marine Corps Tuesday as Tanner J. Kaltenberg, 19, of Madison, Wisconsin; Merax C. Dockery, 23, of Pottawatomie, Oklahoma; and Ivan R. Garcia, 23, of Naples, Florida. All three were motor vehicle operators with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 2 and 2nd Marine Logistics Group. The vehicle they were in was privately owned. 

Garcia had been on active duty the longest of the three, entering service in July 2019, officials said. Dockery entered active duty service in June 2020 and Kaltenberg entered active duty service in May 2021. 

Garcia served in Parris Island, South Carolina; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.

Kaltenberg served in San Diego and in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Medal, Navy Arctic Service Ribbon and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.

Dockery served in San Diego; Camp Pendleton, California and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His military awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.

"I am saddened by the timeless and tragic death of these three youg men, who served our country honorably. Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families and colleagues during this time," Pender County Sheriff Alan W. Cutler said. 

— Aliza Chasan contributed to this report.