Laura Wallen's Heartbreaking Story: Pregnant Woman Betrayed and Murdered by Boyfriend Who Wanted to Be With Someone Else

 

On a sunny Sunday in September 2017, Laura Wallen, a well-loved high school teacher, went out with her boyfriend, Tyler Tessier. 

She thought it would be a special adventure, but sadly, she was greatly mistaken.

Laura, who was four months pregnant, had a hopeful thought—was Tyler finally going to propose? 

The couple had been through their share of ups and downs, but with a baby on the way, Laura hoped that brighter days were ahead. 

Sadly, what began as a day full of hope would soon take a dark and tragic turn, leaving a community in shock and a family forever grieving.

Laura Wallen's last picture before she was killed

Background Information

Laura Wallen, 31, was a social studies teacher at Wild Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland. 

Known for her dedication and passion, Laura was a beloved figure among her students and colleagues. 

In 2016, she was named Teacher of the Year, a testament to her impact in the classroom. 

As the new school year approached in 2017, Laura was excited to return to work. 

She had carefully prepared her classroom for her students' return from the holidays.

Her excitement was evident, especially with the anticipation of welcoming her first child into the world.

Laura's relationship with Tyler Tessier, however, was anything but stable. 

Tyler Tessier and Laura  

For a decade, the couple had been in and out of a relationship, with frequent breakups and reconciliations. 

Despite the rocky nature of their relationship, Laura remained hopeful, especially after learning she was pregnant. 

Tyler had assured her and her family that he was committed to their future together, even showing Laura's father an engagement ring. 

But unbeknownst to Laura, Tyler was living a double life. 

He was also in a relationship with another woman, Christina Wagner.

In fact, he had proposed to Wagner with the same ring he had shown to Laura's father, claiming it was meant for Laura.

Laura Wallen

Laura Wallen's Mysterious Vanishing

On September 2, 2017, Laura and Tyler spent the day together, driving around the Maryland countryside. 

Tyler told Laura that he was looking for land where they could build a home for their growing family. 

As they drove, Laura sent a photo of the picturesque landscape to her sister, Jennifer Coddy, sharing her excitement about the day. 

But as the weekend progressed, things took a troubling turn. 

On Sunday, Laura texted Jennifer again, mentioning that she wasn't feeling well. 

By Monday, the tone of Laura's texts had changed. 

They were brief, and her sister noticed a critical detail—Laura had misspelled some words, including the name of her ex-boyfriend

This was highly unusual, and Jennifer immediately grew concerned.

When Laura failed to show up for the first day of school on September 5th, 2017, alarms were raised. 

Laura was known for her dedication to her students, and her absence was out of character. 

Her family, already worried after not hearing from her over the weekend, contacted the police.

They requested a welfare check at her home in Olney, Maryland. 

When police arrived, they found nothing out of the ordinary—except that Laura and her vehicle were missing. 

At this point, her family’s fears intensified, especially since Laura was four months pregnant.

Tyler Tessier and Laura

Unearthing the Truth

As the investigation into Laura's disappearance unfolded, Tyler Tessier's behavior came under intense scrutiny. 

Initially, he told police that he had no idea where Laura could be. 

He claimed that they had gone out on a date, but after an argument, she asked him to leave and never returned his calls. 

However, Tessier’s story began to unravel as detectives dug deeper.

On September 7th, 2017, a major breakthrough occurred in the case.

An employee at an apartment complex in Columbia, Maryland, found Laura’s driver’s license in a dumpster. 

Her 2011 black Ford Escape was also found in the parking lot, with the front license plate missing. 

Laura Wallen's car

Surveillance footage from a local Safeway store revealed that Laura had been there with Tessier on the night she disappeared. 

As police continued to question Tessier, his stories became increasingly inconsistent. 

At one point, he claimed that they had been kidnapped by several men who killed Laura but spared him. 

In another version, he admitted to disposing of Laura's cell phone and the car's license plate.

He claimed that Laura wanted to escape and needed time to think because she had discovered he (Tessier) was not the father of her baby.

Despite his conflicting stories, one thing was clear—Tessier had been at the farm where Laura’s body was eventually found.

The farm, which housed a meat processing plant, was owned by a friend of Tessier’s.

Additionally, he had spent considerable time there after Laura’s disappearance. 

As the days passed, the collective concern for Laura and her unborn child grew, with her family and the community desperately searching for answers.

The Search for Justice

On September 11th, 2017, the case took an interesting turn.

Laura’s parents, Mark and Gwen Wallen, joined Tyler Tessier at a press conference staged by the police. 

The conference was a strategic move by investigators who were trying to build a strong case against Tessier

They were already suspecting that Tessier was involved in Laura’s disappearance, so they wanted to gather as much evidence as possible.

By putting Tessier in front of the cameras, they hoped he would reveal something incriminating. 

During the emotional plea, Tessier, who sat beside Laura’s grieving parents, held their hands and tearfully begged for her safe return. 

But his performance did little to sway the detectives who were closely watching his every move.

You can watch the video of that staged press briefing below.

After the staged press conference, body language experts were brought in to analyze his reactions. 

The experts confirmed that most of his responses were insincere and not genuine, which further implicated him.

Laura Wallen's Final Days Revealed as Justice is Served 

As the investigation progressed, the truth about Tessier’s actions came to light. 

It was revealed that on the day Laura went missing, Tessier had driven her to a remote field under the pretense of a romantic outing. 

There, he brutally murdered her and buried her body on the farm property. 

Tessier's motive was clear.

He wanted to eliminate Laura to continue his relationship with Christina Wagner, whom he had promised to marry.

Tessier was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. 

However, he never stood trial. 

Before the proceedings could begin, he was found dead in his jail cell in 2018.

His death was investigated, and it was confirmed that he committed suicide using the bedsheets. 

Authorities determined that no foul play was involved.

Laura Wallen's tragic death was a profound loss for her family, students, and community. 

A bright and dedicated teacher, Laura had so much to live for, including the new life growing inside her. 

As her family continues to grieve, they remember Laura as a loving daughter, sister, and friend. 

Even though justice has been served, the pain of losing her will never go away.

Below is a longer video and a detailed analysis of the case.

In another case, a 16-year-old girl killed her family members because her parents didn’t approve of her relationship with her new boyfriend. 

Click here for details on that story.