has admitted being in Touma 's hotel room June 13 , and investigators found that the room 's electronic key card was last used on that day , police said Wednesday . However , Patino has not admitted killing Touma . Patino wore red jail coveralls in his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon . He spoke only to answer the judge 's questions , acknowledging that he understood he was charged with first-degree murder and that the charge carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison without parole . He also requested that an attorney be appointed for him . Fayetteville , North Carolina , police Chief Tom Bergamine said Wednesday that Patino , who is married , was the father of Touma 's fetus . Police also said evidence links Patino to a letter received June 25 by the Fayetteville Observer newspaper . In it , the writer claimed to have killed Touma and said more killings were planned . The letter was signed with a circular symbol similar to one used by the Zodiac killer in California in the late 1960s . At the request of police , the newspaper withheld information regarding the letters and
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A North Carolina man charged with killing a pregnant Fort Bragg soldier was the father of her unborn child , authorities said Wednesday . Sgt. Edgar Patino faces first-degree murder charges in the slaying of Megan Touma . Army Sgt. Edgar Patino is linked to two anonymous `` confession '' letters sent in what police believe was an attempt to derail the investigation into Megan Touma 's death , police said . Patino , 27 , was arrested at his Hope Mills , North Carolina , home Tuesday night without incident . Patino , who is stationed at Fort Bragg 's JFK Special Warfare Training Center , faces first-degree murder charges in the slaying of Touma , 23 , who was seven months pregnant . Touma 's decomposing body was found in the bathtub of a hotel room near Fort Bragg on June 21 . Authorities said Wednesday that they believe she died late June 13 or early June 14 . Although her death has been ruled a homicide , authorities said Wednesday that the state medical examiner has not made a final determination of how she died . Watch officials discuss the case '' Patino