Master Sgt. Nathaniel Cosby, a 38-year-old U.S. Marine Corps member arrested Wednesday in the homicide of 28-year-old Ivanice "Ivy" Harris of Portland, is expected to be formally charged with second-degree murder sometime Thursday, Honolulu police officials said.

Cosby was arrested about 10:15 a.m. Wednesday at the Honolulu International Airport.

Sgt. Kim Buffett of the

, who also runs the department’s CrimeStoppers program, said Cosby was booked into the

where he is being held without bail pending arraignment.

Ivy Harris

She said it was unclear if Cosby was attempting to leave the state or had just arrived on an incoming flight. A U.S. Marine spokesman said information related to his movement and travel is part of the on-going investigation.

Buffett had few details on what led to Cosby as a suspect in Harris’ death, but did say the department's homicide detectives worked tirelessly on the case.

“They really pounded the pavement to come to this resolution,’’ Buffett said.

Sgt. Reece Lodder, a spokesman for Marine Corps Base Hawaii, said Cosby was on temporary assignment in Hawaii, but permanently assigned to the Marine Wing Support Squadron-171 at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.

Lodder said Cosby is an explosive ordnance disposal technician.

Lt. Col David Griesmer, a spokesman for the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Japan, said Cosby joined the Corps in 1998.

"The Marine Corps takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and is fully cooperating with the investigation," Griesmer said in an email.

Griesmer said the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is assisting the Honolulu Police Department in the investigation.

More

Harris' body was found May 20 in Waianae, Hawaii, four days after she went missing from a bar in Waikiki. Her family said she was vacationing there with her long-time boyfriend and another friend to celebrate her 29th birthday.



The results of Harris' autopsy are still pending, the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office said Wednesday.



Nearly 100 of Harris' family and friends held a candlelight vigil for her in North Portland on May 23. Her funeral was also held in Portland on Monday.



--Stuart Tomlinson