Death of joint base Marine being investigated, reports say

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating the death of a 28-year-old U.S. Marine stationed at Joint BaseMcGuire-Dix-Lakehurst who's body was discovered Monday after a week-long search, NJ Advance Media has reported.

Sgt. Tristan Clinger was reported missing by his wife, Rachel, on Dec. 20. She also enlisted the help of Missing In America, a volunteer organization dedicated to finding missing persons. The group - which is not law enforcement - uses social media, flyer distribution and physical search and rescue to help families find loved ones. Immediately after Tristan's disappearance, the group began looking for the Marine, whose wife told NBC 10 that he seemed upset before his disappearance.

Nancy Schaeffer, the founder of Missing in America, would only confirm that Clinger's body was found and that he is deceased, but she couldn't give exact details on where he was located or how he died.

Join Base spokesman Air Force Maj. Omar Villarreal told NJ Advance Media that Clinger's body was discovered Saturday on the base. He could not be reached for comment Monday. The exact cause of death has not yet been released.

Messages left for the Burlington County Proseuctor’s Office were not returned.

Clinger, an active Marine, is originally from Louisville, Kentucky but was stationed at the base.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.