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Autopsy: Missing teacher shot in the head

Laura Wallen, 31, found in shallow grave
Posted at 10:34 AM, Sep 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-15 16:42:18-04

UPDATE: Montgomery County police announced Thursday night that Laura Wallen was shot in the back of the head, according to autospy findings. 

Tyler Tessier, Wallen's boyfriend and the father of her unborn child has been charged with her murder. He's been charged with first-degree murder. 

At a bond review Thursday afternoon, the judge deemed him a danger to the community and denied bond.

RELATED: Missing pregnant teacher found dead

Wallen, who went missing last week, was a social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School. She was four months pregnant. 

See also: When can someone be charged under Maryland's fetal homicide law?

Police found Wallen's body buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area in Damascus.

According to the Montgomery County Police Department, on Sept, 4, Wallen's sister reported Laura missing, saying that she last saw her a couple days earlier, but had not been able to contact her since. 

Police released on Thursday that Tessier had taken Wallen's phone and texted her sister from it. 

Wallen was last seen with Tessier on Sept. 2 at a Safeway store in Olney.

On Sept. 7, a Gramercy Place apartment complex employee reported finding Wallen's license in front of a dumpster a couple days earlier. After realizing whose license it was, the employee called police. 

Police then found Wallen's car, but the front license plate had been removed. 

Police had interviewed Tessier multiple times while Wallen was missing. Police said each interview had conflicting statements regarding Wallen's disappearance. During questioning, he did admit that he was engaged to another woman. 

Tessier also admitted to throwing away Wallen's phone and driver's license in a dumpster and removing her license plate from her car.

Detectives found a friend of Tessier who admitted she drove him to the apartment complex where Wallen's car was found and was told to lie to police if they asked about it. 

On Sept. 13, officers executed a search warrant at Tessier's friends home on the 12400 block of Prices Distillery Road in Damascus. Tessier had reportedly been spending a lot of time there since Wallen went missing. 

During the search, a rescue team found a freshly dug area in a field near his friend's property. Wallen's body was found buried in the ground. 

Tessier was arrested on Wednesday in Hyattstown and charged with first degree murder. 

During the week that Wallen was missing, Tessier was present with her family during a press conference on Monday.

RELATED: Reward offered for information on missing pregnant teacher

During the press conference, Tessier pleaded for Wallen to come home.

"There's so many people, so many people that miss you," he said Monday. "There's so many people that were out looking. We haven't slept, we haven't eaten. We're just looking and praying that you're safe and I'm asking that you can just let us know that you're safe."

Despite his emotion, police suspected Tessier was involved in Wallen's disappearance. 

There is still no information on a motive.