Navy Officer Shoots, Kills His Pregnant Girlfriend After She Refused to Get an Abortion

A U.S. Navy officer killed his pregnant girlfriend after she refused to have an abortion, according to authorities.

Police said Emmanuel Dewayne Coble, 27, was arrested on August 11 during a traffic stop in Hampton, Virginia and was arraigned at Hanover General District Court the next day.

According to People, Coble was charged with first-degree murder and felony use of a firearm in the killing of Raquiah Paulette King, 20, who was found in Hanover County, off the side of the road in the ditch line on July 21.

Hanover Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. James Cooper told the outlet that Coble and King were in a relationship, and King was three months pregnant at the time she was killed. The state medical examiner's office said King was shot to death.

In a press release, the Hanover County Sheriff's Office said investigators were able to quickly identify the suspect after an extensive investigation involving multiple agencies.

Prosecutors are reportedly eyeing to file charges concerning the fetus' death. Sheriff Colonel David R. Hines said in a statement that the arrest of the Navy officer was the first step in bringing justice to King and her family.

Pregnant Girlfriend Killed by Navy Officer for Refusing Abortion

A GoFundMe page was created for Raquiah Paulette King to cover her memorial and burial costs. A relative wrote that King was killed because she refused to have an abortion.

Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the GoFundMe narrative noted that King moved to Virginia to live with Emmanuel Dewayne Coble while he pursued a career.

It also said that the Navy officer changed his mind about having the baby and forced King to have an abortion, which she refused, leading to numerous arguments.

King and Coble eventually visited an abortion clinic. However, King changed her mind when they were inside. The Navy officer then got angry and got into a fight in the car on the way home.

"The killer killed her and her unborn baby... They both died instantly on the scene," the narrative noted.

Coble holds the rank of junior grade lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and was recently assigned to the USS John C. Stennis, a nuclear-powered supercarrier temporarily based in Norfolk, according to Lt. Commander Robert Myers, a public affairs officer for the Commander of the Naval Air Force Atlantic fleet.

Myers said the Navy was cooperating with law enforcement agencies involved with the case, adding that they were extending their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of King.

Coble has not yet entered a plea. A bond hearing for the Navy officer is scheduled for Friday. A preliminary hearing is set for December 6.

Abortion in Virginia

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin repeated in July that he was for a state ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy after the Supreme Court revoked the Roe v. Wade landmark ruling.

Some Republicans in the state are pushing for a full ban on abortion, with Rep. Bob Good saying in a rally that Republicans should not be negotiating the timeline on when abortion should be allowed or not, CBS News reported.

Abortion access in the state has not changed despite the Supreme Court's decision.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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