Marine Corporal Arrested in Killing of Sister

San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives have arrested a Camp Pendleton Marine and charged him with killing his younger sister, officials said Wednesday.

Cpl. Yancy Andrews, 27, a Marine since December 1995 who has been stationed at Camp Pendleton since last summer, was being held without bail Wednesday night at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, officials said.

Andrews is accused in the killing of his sister, Rebecca Rene Andrews, 23, of Hesperia.

“It’s really unfortunate that a Marine would be involved in something like this,” said Lt. Greg Scott, a Camp Pendleton spokesman.

The siblings’ mother reported Rebecca Andrews missing Aug. 10, said San Bernardino County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Robin Haynal. The mother last saw her Aug. 7, when she was asleep inside their home in Hesperia, a small town south of Victorville and east of Wrightwood.

Sheriff’s investigators searched the home Monday, and determined that Rebecca Andrews was apparently the victim of foul play, Haynal said. Detectives have not revealed the basis for that conclusion, Haynal said.

Rebecca Andrews’ car was also found abandoned about a mile from her home.

Detectives began interviewing her friends and relatives, Haynal said. They arrested Yancy Andrews immediately after interviewing him Tuesday evening, she said.

“At this time we don’t have a motive,” Haynal said. “We’re not really sure why it happened.”

Investigators have not located a body, and Yancy Andrews is “not being real cooperative,” Haynal said.

Yancy Andrews had been staying with his mother and sister during the time of Rebecca Andrews’ disappearance, officials said.

According to Scott, he had been allowed to leave the base on what is known as “special liberty status.” Under that classification, a Marine is temporarily excused without using official leave days. For example, a Marine might request special liberty leave to go to a funeral, and it is up to the commander to approve the request.

It is unclear how long Yancy Andrews, who is single, had been staying at the Hesperia home.

The rank of corporal is considered a milestone in the Marines. It is the first recognized leadership position an enlisted Marine can achieve--the “first position of great responsibility,” Scott said.