An investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is being carried out into the death of a former major general whose body was found at a Marine base on Saturday.
The San Bernardino County coroner’s office reported that Maj. Gen. William Mullen, who was 59 years old, was found dead at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
Military.com reports that coroner records show that his body was found in Building 1651. A website for the base says that the Marine Corps Communication–Electronics School is in the building.
Marine Corps Times was told by the Marine Corps that Mullen was at the base for the ceremony where the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group’s leadership changed hands.
The former major general was in charge of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Center in Twentynine Palms, California. The Los Angeles Times reports that he will no longer be active in the Corps in 2020.
Marine Corps Times was also told by the Marine Corps that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was looking into what happened.
NCIS could not be reached for comment.
A spokeswoman stated that the autopsy is being done by the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Department and that the results are still being gathered.
As the leader of the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Company, Mullen was sent to Operation Desert Shield and worked with Joint Task Force 6 on counter-drug tasks, as stated in his official biography. Later, he went on a mission with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit as the commanding officer of Fox Company. He also took part in Operation Sea Signal, which was a military response to Cuban and Haitian people seeking asylum in 1994.
In 2005, he was sent to Fallujah, Iraq, as operations officer for Regimental Combat Team 8. He was in charge of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, in Fallujah in 2007.
The Corps says that Mullen was the commanding general of Training and Education Command, which was based in Quantico, Virginia, at the time of his death.
The Marine Corps said in a statement to Marine Corps Times that Mullen’s “dedicated service to our nation and the Marine Corps will always be remembered.” Maj. Gen. Thomas Savage was in charge of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command.
When called on Friday, several members of Mullen’s family refused to speak to the media.