Capital murder charges have been filed against an Arkansas man in the deaths of his pregnant wife and preborn child. The prosecutor is seeking the death penalty.
Key Takeaways:
- Stephen Keith Gantz was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his wife and their preborn child.
- The prosecuting attorney is seeking the death penalty.
- Gantz was arrested after he was seen shouting and running down a street near his home.
- Police took him into custody and then searched the home, finding the body of his wife.
- Homicide is a leading cause of death among pregnant women, exceeding all the leading health-related causes of maternal mortality.
The Details:
Stephen Keith Gantz, 54, is facing two counts of capital murder — for the deaths of his wife and their preborn child — as well as charges of possession of a firearm and fleeing. Prosecuting attorney Michelle C. Lawrence is seeking the death penalty.
“Defendant should receive the death penalty because of the presence of the aggravated circumstance codified as Ark. Code Ann. 5-4-604(3),” said Lawrence. “The Defendant, Stephen Keith Gantz, in the commission of the capital murder, knowingly created a great risk of death to a person other than the victim or caused the death of more than one (1) person in the same criminal episode.”
She also noted Gantz’s prior felony, which included “the use or threat of violence to another person or the creation of a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person.”
Prior to his arrest in June, a person had called the police to report Gantz shouting and running down a street. Police drove to the area, took Gantz into custody, and searched his home. That’s when they found the body of his wife, Lourdes Del Carmen Nunez Brugos. The Arkansas Crime Laboratory later confirmed that she was pregnant at the time of her death.
The Big Picture:
Homicide is the 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.”
Women are often targeted by their babies’ fathers if they refuse to abort despite coercion.
Editor’s Note: If you are a victim of domestic violence, please visit thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE.
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