A Virginia Naval Officer has been sentenced to prison for murdering his pregnant girlfriend after she refused to get an abortion.
Key Takeaways:
- Navy Lt. Junior Grade Emmanuel DeWayne Coble has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his pregnant girlfriend, Raquiah Paulette King, in 2022.
- He was convicted of first-degree murder in April.
- Judge John Harris called Coble “an extremely dangerous person.”
- Homicide is a leading cause of death among pregnant women, surpassing all of the leading health-related causes of maternal mortality.
The Details:
On July 18, Navy Lt. Junior Grade Emmanuel Dewayne Coble. 27, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder of his 20-year-old girlfriend, Raquiah Paulette King, who had refused pressure from him to abort their baby. She was 12 weeks pregnant.
Hanover County Judge John Harris called Coble “an extremely dangerous person” with a “depraved mind.”
“I think the judge took this case very seriously,” Hanover County Commonwealth Attorney Mackenzie Babichenko told CBS WTVR. “He heard all of the evidence, all of the impact and he wanted to make it very clear that this was inexcusable, unacceptable and that the defendant would be staying in prison forever. I believe that every year was earned by the defendant given the brutality and the heinous nature of his acts as well as the extensive amount of efforts he put into covering it up or at least trying to cover it up.”
Coble was convicted of first-degree murder in April. After the verdict, King’s father, Gregory King, spoke to WTVR, saying, “To know that the guy thought he was going to get away with it, it just feels good. It puts icing on the cake.”
The Backstory:
After Coble learned that King was pregnant, he took her to an abortion facility, but she refused to have the abortion because she wanted to keep the baby. She also told her mother that if something bad happened to her, it would be at the hands of Coble.
After King refused the abortion, Coble shot her and dumped her body in the woods. Her final text message was sent to Coble on the day of the abortion appointment, at 11:40 p.m. that night. Seven hours later, on July 21, 2022, Hanover County deputies found her naked body, following a call they received regarding “the body of a female that was located on the side of the roadway,” the Sheriff said in a statement.
Investigators said she was likely killed elsewhere, and there were signs she may have been sexually assaulted “… within an hour of her death.”
Police said they found blood in the trunk of Coble’s car and a hair band that matched one found on Raquiah’s wrist during her autopsy. Coble was arrested on August 11, 2022, and although he admitted he shot King, he claimed it was an accident and that attorneys and police were conspiring against him.
He is said to have gone back and forth between representing himself and allowing attorneys to represent him. He ultimately opted to act as his own attorney during his trial; he selected jury members, gave an opening statement, and cross-examined witnesses.
Babichenko explained, “He used lots of delay tactics [and] continuances to keep this case going and drew it out so it took a lot to bring this case across the finish line.”
Why It Matters:
King’s murder is not an isolated incident. Homicide is a leading cause of death for pregnant women, exceeding all the leading health-related causes of maternal mortality.
According to researchers, homicide deaths among pregnant women are more prevalent than deaths from hypertension disorders, hemorrhage, or sepsis. They called gun violence “a health emergency for pregnant women,” who are often targeted by their babies’ fathers for refusing abortion.
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