A Naval officer has been convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend and dumping her body on the side of a Virginia road.

Emmanuel Coble, 27, killed Raquiah King in 2022 after she refused to have an abortion. King’s body was found naked with a bullet wound in her side. She was 12 weeks pregnant, and had told her mother before she died that Coble was the father. She also knew he was angry, telling her mother that if anything happened to her, he was responsible.

King’s cousin provided a receipt for Planned Parenthood; Coble paid for King to have an abortion, but once there, King decided she couldn’t go through with it, and left. He admitted all of this to police, including that he was frustrated that she didn’t get the abortion, but initially didn’t admit to killing King. But when police searched his car, they found blood in the backseat.

Naval officer guilty of murdering pregnant girlfriend, dumping body along Virginia road

According to a police affidavit:

He [Coble] stated that she [King] was ‘spontaneous’ and he stated that he did not think she had a good relationship with her mother.

This information directly conflicts with the information from Rachel Pender and Aaron Stanley that Coble and King were in a relationship and that King was pregnant with Coble’s child.

Coble did not mention any of that information in this call and did not indicate any concern for her safety.

Initially, Coble represented himself in court and tried to claim police and prosecutors were conspiring against him.

“He used lots of delay tactics, continuances to keep this case going, and drew it out — so it took a lot to bring this case across the finish line,” Hanover Commonwealth’s Attorney Mackenzie Babichenko said.

But ultimately, Coble took the stand and admitted to killing King and dumping her body. He was then found guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder, murdering a pregnant woman with the intent to terminate pregnancy, and the premeditated killing of the fetus of another.

Tragically, homicide is one of the leading causes of death among pregnant women. It is more likely for a pregnant woman to be murdered than to die from a pregnancy-related cause.

“To know that that guy thought he was going to get away with it, it just feels good, it puts icing on the cake,” King’s brother Gregory said. “She was a ray of sunlight; she was fun, beautiful, courageous, and strong. I’m just grateful for everything.”

Coble is expected to be sentenced in July and could receive life in prison.

Editor’s Note: If you are a victim of domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, or call 1-800-799-SAFE.

A Naval officer has been convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend and dumping her body on the side of a Virginia road.

Emmanuel Coble, 27, killed Raquiah King in 2022 after she refused to have an abortion. King’s body was found naked with a bullet wound in her side. She was 12 weeks pregnant, and had told her mother before she died that Coble was the father. She also knew he was angry, telling her mother that if anything happened to her, he was responsible.

King’s cousin provided a receipt for Planned Parenthood; Coble paid for King to have an abortion, but once there, King decided she couldn’t go through with it, and left. He admitted all of this to police, including that he was frustrated that she didn’t get the abortion, but initially didn’t admit to killing King. But when police searched his car, they found blood in the backseat.

Naval officer guilty of murdering pregnant girlfriend, dumping body along Virginia road

According to a police affidavit:

He [Coble] stated that she [King] was ‘spontaneous’ and he stated that he did not think she had a good relationship with her mother.

This information directly conflicts with the information from Rachel Pender and Aaron Stanley that Coble and King were in a relationship and that King was pregnant with Coble’s child.

Coble did not mention any of that information in this call and did not indicate any concern for her safety.

Initially, Coble represented himself in court and tried to claim police and prosecutors were conspiring against him.

“He used lots of delay tactics, continuances to keep this case going, and drew it out — so it took a lot to bring this case across the finish line,” Hanover Commonwealth’s Attorney Mackenzie Babichenko said.

But ultimately, Coble took the stand and admitted to killing King and dumping her body. He was then found guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder, murdering a pregnant woman with the intent to terminate pregnancy, and the premeditated killing of the fetus of another.

Tragically, homicide is one of the leading causes of death among pregnant women. It is more likely for a pregnant woman to be murdered than to die from a pregnancy-related cause.

“To know that that guy thought he was going to get away with it, it just feels good, it puts icing on the cake,” King’s brother Gregory said. “She was a ray of sunlight; she was fun, beautiful, courageous, and strong. I’m just grateful for everything.”

Coble is expected to be sentenced in July and could receive life in prison.

Editor’s Note: If you are a victim of domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, or call 1-800-799-SAFE.