RTCL - Martyrs

Murder-Sacrifice Victims
When a female and her offspring are killed by the male who impregnated her, then a murder-sacrifice has most likely occurred, because he most likely murdered her in order to sacrifice their offspring. It's a sacrifice, because he gave up the life of their offspring to obtain for himself the remission of his postnatal support debt. It's often the result of the male wanting the female to sacrifice their offspring and her refusing to do so. This is why homicide is a leading cause of death for pregnant women (see study). The following is a list of murder-sacrifice victims, and their heartbreaking stories, that we were able to find. It is followed by a list of such victims found by an RTL organization. Click each name to see a description or click see all or hide all. As you read about them, keep in mind that all of these tragedies could have been avoided under the RTCL Act.

Adams, Cherica | 24 | 1999 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

In 1999, Ms. Adams became pregnant with the son of a professional football player, who wanted her to get an abortion. But she refused, choosing life instead. While she was 8 months pregnant, she was shot to death by a hitman that the father had hired. The father and the hitman were captured and sentenced to prison. Her son Chancellor survived the shooting, but was permanently disabled as a result. Mr. Adams was raised by his maternal grandmother.

Barrett, Aiyonna | 18 | 2018 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Barrett was 39 weeks pregnant when her boyfriend shot her to death on April 8. Her body was later found in her car on a dirt road. Her boyfriend pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Cantrell, Kassanndra | 33 | 2020 | WA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2020, Ms. Cantrell got together with an ex-boyfriend after years of separation. In the late Spring, she became pregnant with his child. She was hesitant to tell him, because she knew he didn't want to have children. She remembered him saying that if any girlfriend of his ever got pregnant, he would want her to get an abortion; otherwise, he would sue for full custody just to spite her. She told him but then in August 2020, she turned up missing. Her body was found the next month. Her ex-boyfriend was arrested, charged with murdering her, and sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Carter, Brianna | 20 | 2022 | MS | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In the Spring of 2021, Ms. Carter became pregnant with her boyfriend's child. At some point, they must have broken up because he was her "ex-boyfriend" by the time she was 8 months pregnant the following January. On January 9, 2022, she was shot multiple times. She and her unborn child died a short time later at the hospital. But before she died, she gave police the name of her killer, and it was her ex-boyfriend. He was arrested for suspicion of murder.

Compton, Amber | 35 | 2022 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Compton was a registered nurse at a correctional facility, where her boyfriend also worked. She was also the mother of three children who she was co-parentiung with an ex-partner. Early in 2022, her boyfriend made her pregnant and she decided to choose life again. But on October 22, deputies found her dead in her home. She had been shot multiple times. Her boyfriend has been charged with murdering her, and investogators believe that they have a motive that can be easily proven. But they are not revealing it to the public at this time. Ms. Compton was 7 months pregnant when she was murdered.

Cook, Heather | 32 | 2019 | TN | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Cook and her 4 month old son Bentley were stabbed to death by Bentley's father on September 13, because she did not get an abortion and then she filed for child support. After killing them, he set their house on fire. In a Facebook post written by Ms. Cook two weeks before she and Bentley were killed, she said that when she told him she was pregnant, he asked her to "remedy the situation" (his words). She also said, "He thinks since he offered to pay for an abortion that he shouldn't have to pay me anything now."

Covington, Jessica | 32 | 2021 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Early in 2021, Ms. Covington became pregnant with her boyfriend's child, and she decided to choose life. According to her mother, her boyfriend wanted to have a polyamorous relationship with her, but because she didn't want that, she prepared to move on from him and raise their child on her own. She had a baby shower on November 20. Her ex-boyfriend was there but he left early. That night she was shot to death near a broken streetlight. Investigators say that the shooter waited until it got dark, knowing that the streetlight was broken, providing the cover of darkness. She was shot 11 times, twice in the head and 9 times in the stomach. Even though her ex-boyfriend was somewhere else at the time of the shooting, he is still a person of interest. She was 7 months pregnant when she was murdered.

Davis, Jessie | 26 | 2007 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Davis was the mistress of a married police officer. In December 2004, she gave birth to his third child, a son named Blake. In the fall of 2006, she became pregnant with his fourth child, a daughter who was to be named Chloe. But he was having financial difficulties, and the additional child support debt wasn't helping. So, he killed Jessie and Chloe on June 14, 2007, just 19 days before Chloe was due to be born. He buried their bodies; but detectives were able to discover that he killed them, thanks to the witness of his son Blake, who by then was 2-1/2 years old.

Dean, Samantha | 29 | 2015 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

The boyfriend of Ms. Dean was a police officer. In the Summer of 2014, she became pregnant with his child. He demanded that she get an abortion, because he thought it would ruin his life if she had the baby. But she refused to get an abortion and chose life instead. Her coworkers claimed that she told them if she turned up dead, it was her boyfriend who killed her. She was murdered on February 4, 2015. It was later discovered that her boyfriend paid two men $5000 to kill her. In 2019, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. She was 7 months pregnant at the time she was murdered.

Diggins, Jordan | 33 | 2021 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Mrs. Diggins was a divorced mother of two and was pregnant with her boyfriend's child in 2021. But on November 28, he stabbed her to death and kidnapped her two children, 4 and 8. While trying to escape the police, the children became separated from him and they were found unharmed. He was later captured. He was indicted in 2022 for murder and five other offenses.

Fang, Bilian | 40 | 2022 | IL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Mrs. Fang, a married mother of two, was 8 months pregnant with her boyfriend's child. Her boyfriend, who was divorced, strangled her to death on or about October 9, after they had a fight over finances. Then, he dumped her body at a water reclamation plant and covered it with branches. He was identified through video and cell phone evidence.

Fretwell, Karissa | 26 | 2019 | OR | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Fretwell did not know that her boyfriend was a married man until she became pregnant with his child in 2015. He wanted her to get an abortion, but she refused and chose life instead. She gave birth to their son Billy in 2016 and tried to support him on her own. She had a little help from Billy's father, who was trying to keep it a secret from his wife. But it was not enough. So, in 2019 Ms. Fretwell filed for child support and this made Billy's father so angry that he killed her and their three-year-old son Billy on the second night after Mother's Day. He left a trail of breadcrumbs in the form of cell tower pings leading detectives to him.

Galperina, Yuliya | 42 | 2009 | MA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2009, Ms. Galperina was looking forward to giving birth to her third child, a son whom she had named David. She was nine months pregnant with him when she was stabbed to death on May 17 by her boyfriend. David died of asphyxiation because of the stoppage of his mother's blood flow. Her boyfriend was sentenced to consecutive life sentences without parole. [Salem News 10/11/2022]

Gillespie, Stephanie | 24 | 2012 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Gillespie was six months pregnant with her third child when her boyfriend shot her to death on February 16, 2012. The police said that he killed her because she was pregnant with his child and refused to get an abortion. The couple had been arguing for several hours when the shooting occurred.

Gilley, Anastasius | 19 | 2023 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Gilley was four months pregnant when she was reported missing on May 3, 2023. Her body was found about a week later near Headland, Alabama. A 31 year old man, who knew her was arrested, on suspicion of murder. The man already had a rape conviction on his record. No other details have yet to be provided.

Gregg, Theresa | 37 | 2023 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Gregg was a city Department of Homeless Services police officer, and a mother of two 14-year old daughters. She was two to three months pregnant when on the night of May 13, she had a heated argument with her boyfriend. The next morning, her two daughters found her unresponsive and called 911 after trying to do CPR on her. Police found that she was stabbed to death with a screwdriver and appeared to have sustained multiple blows to the head too. This case is under investigation.

Harlan, Ashley | 23 | 2018 | KS | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Harlan, a student at Kansas State University, became pregnant with her boyfriend's child in 2017. Rather than get an abortion, she chose life and began to look forward to being a first time mom. But on January 31, 2018, she was found dead in her apartment, a victim of homicide. Her boyfriend was seen with her family on the six o'clock news, as they pleaded with viewers to report anything that they might have seen. He was the only one who was not looking at the camera. Detectives were later able to find that he was the killer.

Harris, Ebony | 28 | 2015 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Early in 2015, Ms. Harris of Houston, Texas learned that she was pregnant with twins. She had multiple boyfriends, but she was hoping that her navy boyfriend in Virginia was the father. Apparently, he became convinced that he was the father and he was not happy about it. So, he flew down to Houston on February 24 and back to Virginia later that same day. It was on that day that the body of Ms. Harris was found in her apartment. She had been stabbed to death. Detectives found that her boyfriend's phone had pinged from her apartment. In 2022, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. It turned out that he was not the father of her twins.

Hill, Arrjiana | 16 | 2014 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

On February 26, Ms. Hill found out she was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. She and her boyfriend were only 16. Text messages revealed that her boyfriend badly wanted to either cause a miscarriage or take her to get an abortion. He was afraid that having a child would ruin their education and his sports career. But she refused to get an abortion, choosing life instead. On March 6, Ms. Hill told her boyfriend that she was pregnant with twins. On March 21, she was murdered. In 2015, her boyfriend was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison with parole after 40 years.

Holland, Nakita | 36 | 2015 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Holland was nine months pregnant with her second child when she was shot to death by her boyfriend in her apartment in front of her two year old daughter Pailey. Pailey spent several hours alone with her dead mother before relative found them. She was covered with her mother's blood. Her boyfriend, who was a married father, was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

Jackson, Tammeka | 39 | 2023 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Jackson worked at a convenient store in Midland, Texas. She was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. One day, a co-worker overheard her and her boyfriend having an argument about the pregnancy. Then, on February 13, a masked man walked into the convenient store and shot Ms. Jackson to death. That same week, detectives arrested her boyfriend and a female accomplice for the murder of Ms. Jackson.

Jeffrey, Pashun | 20 | 2023 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2023, the boyfriend of Ms. Jeffrey, who was also the father of their two-year old son Taylen, stabbed her to death in her apartment. The day after her body was found in her apartment, the body of Taylen was found in an alligator's mouth. The boyfriend was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Jenkins, Shamari | 21 | 2013 | CT | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Late in 2012, Ms. Jenkins became pregnant with her boyfriend's child. He wanted her to get an abortion, but she wanted to choose life. As the pregnancy continued, he grew increasingly angry with her. On April 29, 2013, she was shot to death by a hitman that her boyfriend had hired. According to prosecutor Cathryn Krinitsky, her boyfriend wanted her dead because she "previously decided to have an abortion but decided not to." She was 4 months pregnant at the time she was murdered. Her boyfriend was sentenced to 80 years in prison.

Johnson, Kaylen | 24 | 2022 | LA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

In 2021, Ms. Johnson was raising her two-year-old son Kayden when she became pregnant with her boyfriend's first child. According to the mother of Ms. Johnson, her boyfriend had insisted that she get an abortion. But she refused and chose life instead. Then, in March of 2022, while she was six months pregnant, her boyfriend shot her multiple times, killing her. He disposed of her body in a wooded area; and then he threw the two-year-old witness Kayden over a bridge in a different wooded area, where he died, likely of exposure in the cold. The boyfriend confessed to the murders and led police to the bodies. He is in jail awaiting trial. [Baton Rouge Advocate 3-17-2022 / 6-30-2022]

Jones, Amanda | 27 | 2005 | MO | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Mrs. Jones was a divorced single mother, who was raising her daughter Hannah in Festus, Missouri. She had a boyfriend for a very brief time. In February 2005, after they had broken up, she informed him that she was pregnant with his child. He denied being the father but offered to pay for an abortion anyway. She refused the offer and chose life instead. She found out that it was a boy. She was going to name him Hayden and raise him with his half-sister Hannah. But on August 14, 2005, just a few weeks before Hayden was due to be born, Mrs. Jones came up missing, and her ex-boyfriend was the last person with her. Neither her nor her body nor Hayden's body have been found to this day. Locals believe that her ex-boyfriend killed them and buried their bodies on his parents' farm, but detectives lack the evidence needed to charge him.

King, Raquiah | 20 | 2022 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. King was the girlfriend of a Navy Lieutenant. In 2022, she became pregnant with his child. He wanted to take her to get an abortion, and she reluctantly agreed to go with him. But at the abortion clinic, she changed her mind and decided not to get an abortion. He was not happy about it. So, that night he killed her and dumped her body in a ditch. The next day, her body was found and then her boyfreind was found by detectives, who arrested him and charged him with murdering his pregnant girlfriend.

Kostial, Alexandria | 22 | 2019 | MS | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Kostial was a student at Ole Miss. In the Spring of 2019, a home pregnancy test showed that she was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. She told him, and he wanted her to get an abortion; but she was not about to get one. He became increasingly angry with her. Then, on July 20, 2019, she was found dead near Sardis Lake, about 30 miles from campus. Investigators say that her boyfriend kidnapped her before shooting her to death near the lake. By then she would have been about 17 weeks pregnant. However, the autopsy found that she was not pregnant after all. It is unlcear whether Ms. Kostial ever discovered that she wasn't pregnant.

Lauterbach, Maria | 20 | 2007 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2007, the unwed Lance Corporal Lauterbach was allegedly raped, and impregnated, by a married Corporal (the next higher rank in the Marine Corps). But the rape investigation had "gone sour" according to her mother. Still, the Corporal was afraid his career would be ruined if she gave birth and it was proven that her child was his. (Prenatal paternity testing had not been developed yet.) So, he tried to convince the Lance Corporal to flee to Mexico (his country of birth), supposedly with the intent of destroying her credibility with the desertion and continuing his career in the Corps. But that plan failed. He got increasingly desparate, because she was due to deliver in January. So in December, he sacrificed his offspring by murdering Lauterbach at his house. He tried to destroy the evidence by burning their bodies in the fire pit in his backyard. But that didn't work too well. So, he fled to Mexico. Her burned remains were found, and he was captured and sentenced to life in prison. [Dalesio, Emery P. (August 25, 2010). "Laurean sentenced to life in prison". Marine Corps Times. Associated Press]

Lemon, Charles | 0 | 2019 | TX | Violent-Sacrifice Self-Evident

"Charles" was the name that Ms. Lemon picked out for her unborn son. But while she was 32 weeks pregnant with him, his father punched her in the stomach over and over until Charles died. Since Ms. Lemon survived her injuries, this was not a murder-sacrifice. But nevertheless, it was a sacrifice; because the father gave up his son to obtain for HIMSELF the remission of HIS support debts to his son. This was the exact antithesis of the Messianic Sacrifice, where God the Father gave up His Son to obtain for MANY the remission of THEIR debts to God. [KXAN, 10/17/2022]

McDonald, Michelle | 31 | 2021 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2021, Ms. McDonald was pregnant and looking forward to giving birth to her second child, a daughter who she was going to name Aaliyah. But on July 16, while she was 8-1/2 months pregnant, her boyfriend shot her in the back of the head, killing both her and her daughter. Her 4 year old daughter witnessed the fatal shooting. The boyfriend was sentenced to prison for 21 years to life.

McNeil, Keierra | 32 | 2020 | TN | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2020, Ms. McNeil became pregnant with her boyfriend's child. By the time she was six months pregnant, he had become her ex-boyfriend. According to her family, he wanted nothing to do with their child and she was therefore planning to raise him on her own. On August 20, he asked her to meet him at Walgreens to talk about co-parenting. There, she was shot and killed while sitting in her car. Police cherged her ex-boyfriend, but later dropped the charges due to lack of evidence that he fired the shots. Police are invesitgating another vehicle where the shots might have been fired from. Her family believes that her ex-boyfriend either killed her himself or conspired with others to kill her. The investigation continues.

Nalley, Jennifer | 39 | 2016 | ID | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Nalley was her parents' only child; and at 39 she became pregnant with their only grandchild in the Spring of 2016. So, she looked forward to becoming a mother and her parents, to becoming grandparents. But her ex-boyfriend was very upset about the pregnancy and the prospect of having to pay child support. He sent a text message saying, "I'm praying for a miscarriage or an abortion. If not one of us will wind up dead." He killed Ms. Nalley and their unborn offspring in Driggs, Idaho on July 4, 2016. She was about 12 weeks pregnant.

Pope, Meghann | 27 | 2012 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Pope was pregnant with her first child, a daughter who she was going to name Talia. On August 19, while she was 4 months pregnant, her boyfriend ran over her with his truck, killing her and their daughter. Her boyfriend was put on trial for murder. He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Richardson, Kimberly | 25 | 2015 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Richardson worked in a jewelry store at a mall, where her boyfriend worked as a security guard. In the fall of 2014, she became pregnant with his child. Soon, she learned that their child was a girl and named her Lacy. She was six months pregnant when she met up with her boyfriend behind a mall on April 18, 2015. There, he shot her twice in the back, she fell to the ground, and he left. She was barely able to muster the strength to call 911. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, where she underwent an emergency C-section to save Lacy. But Ms. Richardson died in the hospital a little later in the morning of April 19.

Rothwell, Jennifer | 28 | 2019 | MO | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2019, the husband of Mrs. Rothwell had a secret affair. He began considering the pros and cons of divorcing his wife to marry his mistress. In the Fall, Mrs. Rothwell became pregnant with his child, and he was upset about it. Search warrents later confirmed that she googled "what to do if your husband is upset you are pregnant." By November 11, 2019, she discovered that he was having an affair; because it was on that day that they had argument about his affair, just before he killed her and their offspring. She was 6 weeks pregnant. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Rouhselang, Breana | 17 | 2018 | IN | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Rouhselang was a high school cheerleader. In June of 2018, just after finishing her sophomore year, she became pregnant with the child of one of the football players. She was afraid to tell her boyfriend or her parents about the pregnancy. She finally told her boyfriend after Thanksgiving Day 2018. He was very upset, because by then (6 months into pregnancy) it was too late for her to get an abortion. So, on December 9, 2019, he stabbed her to death. Only then did her parents find out that she was pregnant.

Sanchez, Stephanie | 17 | 2005 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2004, Ms. Sanchez became pregnant with her boyfriend's child. They went and sacrificed their offspring by abortion. She was 16 and he was 21 at the time. In 2005, she became pregnant with his child again, and this time she chose life. On December 12, 2005, he stabbed and strangled her to death in her kitchen. She was 13 weeks pregnant. In 2007, he was sentenced to death.

Schelling, Kelsie | 22 | 2013 | CO | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Schelling was a student at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. Her boyfriend was a star player on the school's basketball team. On February 4, 2013, she took an ultrasound, confirming that she was pregnant with his child. She immediately called her boyfriend and her mother to let them know the news. According to her mother, her boyfriend was upset about the pregnancy. Her mother also said that she wanted the baby and would not have wanted to get an abortion. That evening, she travelled to Pueblo, Colorado to meet with him. She was never seen again. In the Spring of 2021, her boyfriend was tried, convicted, and sentenced to prison.

Sims, Alana | 22 | 2023 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Sims was 5 months pregnant when her boyfriend shot her to death on January 30. Investigators believe that he killed her "because he no longer wanted to be in her life or have a child." Police found her body next to her car with her 23 month old son asleep in his car seat in the back of the car. He was unharmed. The boyfriend, a local rapper, is currently awaiting trial for murder. [Tampa Bay Channel 10, 2-8-2023]

Spraggins, Courtney | 26 | 2022 | AL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Mrs. Spraggins, a divorced mother of two, met a police officer on an online dating site, and he became her boyfriend. In 2021, she became pregnant with his child. According to the family of Mrs. Spraggins, her boyfriend was unhappy about the pregnancy. They had a long distance relationship, with him living in Alabama and her in Maryland or North Carolina. On January 7, 2022, she drove down to Alabama to meet him. Shortly after she got there, she was shot to death. He claimed that she committed suicide, but detectives quickly realized that he likely killed her and their offspring. The state is seeking the death penalty for him. She was 7 months pregnant.

Wallen, Laura | 31 | 2017 | MD | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2017, Ms. Wallen was dating a man who, unbeknownst to her, was in another relationship with a woman that he wanted to marry. Things became complicated for him when Ms. Wallen became pregnant with his child. Not wanting to tell her about the other woman, he led her to believe that he was going to marry her. On Septempber 2, 2017, he lured her to a remote field, shot her to death, and buried her body in a shallow grave. She was 14 weeks pregnant. Her mother said, "I absolutely believe that the baby became an inconvenience."

Washington, Lyntell | 40 | 2016 | LA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Washington was a single mother and a teacher at the middle school where she met her boyfriend, an assistant principal. He was married, but he told her that he was in the process of getting divorced. In the fall of 2015, she became pregnant with his child, and she chose life. But in the Spring of 2016, she found out that he was not getting divorced. She sent him text messages, demainding that he tell her the truth and asking if he was committed to helping her support their child. In June 2016, he shot her to death and left her three-year-old daughter in a parking lot. In February 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Webb, Jennifer | 32 | 2011 | MI | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Webb dated a married police officer who she thought was separated from his wife. In December 2010, she became pregnant with his child, a boy. Not wanting to get an abortion, she chose life and began to look forward to raising her son on her own. She was going to name him Braxton. On August 30, 2011, her boyfriend killed her and Braxton, making it look like a suicide. But through DNA evidence, he was found guilty of the double homicide. She was 8-1/2 months pregnant.

Wiles, Brechue | 23 | 2018 | SC | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

In 2018, Ms. Wiles became pregnant with her boyfriend's child. He did not want her to have the baby, but she chose life. On May 11, 2018, she went to Duncan Park Lake in Spartanburg to meet up with him. But it was there that he killed her. In 2021, her boyfriend was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison.

Ambrosino, Susan | 26 | 2005 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Steven Schiovone was the father of Ms. Ambrosino's unborn child and was demanding that she have an abortion. Because she refused, he killed her by shooting her in the back of the head. In 2007, Schiovone admitted to the crime and was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter rather than face a murder charge. [The New York Daily News 2-28-2005 • Newsday 4-17-2007]

Anderson, Linda | 25 | 2010 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Authorities say that Jimmy Humphrey strangled Ms. Anderson because she was pregnant with his child and he did not want to start a family with her. After she was killed, her apartment was burned and police speculate that Humphrey set the fire in an attempt to cover-up the crime. Ms. Anderson's two-year-old son died in that fire. [NY1.com 8-2-2001 • The New York Times 7-16-2010]

Baker, Tammy Lynn | 24 | 1997 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Witnesses stated that when Ms. Baker told her boyfriend, Coleman Leake Johnson, that she was pregnant by him, the two had a heated argument over her refusal to have an abortion. When Johnson realized that Ms. Baker was not going to change her mind, he hid two homemade pipe bombs under a garbage can lid outside her apartment. When she lifted the lid, the bombs exploded and killed both her and her unborn daughter. In 2001, a jury found Johnson guilty of her murder and gave him life in prison. [The Washington Post 12-19-2004 • Richmond Times Dispatch 5-15 & 17-2001]

Bakley, Bonny Lee | 44 | 2001 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Bakley was pregnant by actor, Robert Blake, when she was shot to death while sitting in his car. In court, witnesses testified that Blake had planned to abduct Ms. Bakley and hire a doctor to abort the baby and, if that didn't work out, he said that he intended to "whack" her. Blake also admitted that he had offered Bakley $250,000 to have an abortion but she refused. In 2005, a jury found that there was not enough evidence to convict Blake of the criminal charges but, in a subsequent civil trial, the jury found him responsible for Ms. Bakley's murder and ordered him to pay $30 million in damages. [Court TV 10-3-2005 / 12-14-2005 • The Herald Sun 1-21-2005]

Betts, Cassandra | 25 | 2000 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Betts was six weeks pregnant when her boyfriend, Tony M. Ringer, lured her to the parking lot of a local business under the pretense that he was having car trouble. When she arrived, he stabbed and shot her to death. The victim's seven-year-old daughter was in the car at the time and was still with her mother when they were discovered the next morning. In 2002, Ringer received 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. The county prosecutor said that he killed Ms. Betts because she refused his demand to have an abortion. [WLWT-TV Channel 5, Cincinnati 12-22-2000 • The Cincinnati Enquirer 3-10-2002]

Bonaventure, Sandra | 21 | 2002 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Bonaventure was strangled by Emmanuel Pierre. Law enforcement officials say that Pierre killed the college junior because she was pregnant with his child and had refused to have an abortion. One witness quoted Pierre as telling Ms. Bonaventure that, "You'll have that baby over my dead body." Another stated that Pierre was complaining to him "every other day" about her refusal to have an abortion. In 2005, Pierre was convicted of her murder and given 25-years-to-life in prison. [The New York Daily News 4-17-2004 / 4-8-2005 • The New York Post 4-5-2005]

Bost, Tinesha Amdricko | 17 | 2000 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Bost was murdered by her 29-year-old boyfriend, Charles Francis Graham. According to court documents, Ms. Bost was pregnant with Graham's baby and he had ordered her to get an abortion because he said he already had too many kids. When she refused, Graham enlisted the help of two other men to lure Ms. Bost to a local pond where she was shot in the back of the head. In 2002 he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life without parole. [North Carolina Court of Appeals No. COA 03-788 • Charlotte Observer 2-25-2000 / 12-10-2001]

Boyd, Anastasia Latrice | 24 | 2010 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Law enforcement officials say that Larry J. Reed shot Ms. Boyd in the chest during an argument over her pregnancy. Family members told investigators that Ms. Boyd was determined to have her baby despite Reed's fierce objections. Police say that Reed initially told them that Ms. Boyd had committed suicide but he later admitted that he shot her. In 2010, he was indicted for second-degree murder. [St. Petersburg Times 3-25-2010 • Channel 8 News St Petersburg 3-24-2010]

Browne, Zaneta | 29 | 2002 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Browne was pregnant with the twins of Jerold L. Ponder when he shot her in the head. Ponder's wife, Keya, was also charged in the killing because she bought the gun used in the attack and later helped to dispose of the body. Investigators were able to determine that Ms. Browne was murdered because she refused Ponder's demand to have an abortion. Eventually, both Jerold and Keya Ponder were found guilty of murder and given prison sentences of more than 25 years. [Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 2-1-2003 /5-3-2003 • WHEC-TV News 10 7-22-2002]

Burnett, Stephanie Nicole | 16 | 2002 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to law enforcement officials, Matthew John Wiedman killed Ms. Burnett because she was pregnant with his baby and would not agree to have an abortion. During a meeting with Wiedman, he and an accomplice, Raymond Anthony Soto, attacked Ms. Burnett with a steel dumbbell and repeatedly stabbed her with a long-bladed knife. An autopsy revealed that every bone in her face was broken, her skull was crushed and her throat was slashed. In 2003, Wiedman and Soto were convicted of her murder and given life in prison. [The Augusta Chronicle 4-23 & 24-2002 / 4-23-2003]

Carter, Ardena Marie | 23 | 2003 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Michael Antonio Natson killed Ms. Carter by shooting her in the head. Investigators determined that Ms. Carter was pregnant with Natson's child and had stated that she intended to give birth to the baby. They say he killed her to avoid paying child support. In 2007, a jury found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to life in prison without parole. [WSFA-12 News 3-5-2007 • FBI Press Release 6-22-2005]

Chambers, Tara | 29 | 2002 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to police affidavits, Ms. Chambers was pregnant with the baby of Tyrone Raynard Gladden who ordered her to have an abortion so he would not have to pay child support. When she refused, he hired a hit man to kill her. A short time later, her body was found with four gunshot wounds. In 2007, Gladden was convicted of Ms. Chambers' murder and given life in prison without parole. [The Charlotte Observer 5-19-2004 / 7-3-2007- • The Washington Post 12-19-2004 • Court Of Appeals of North Carolina No. COA09-626]

Christensen, Irene Francis | 20 | 1994 | UT | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Calvin Shane Myers stabbed Ms. Christensen at least 12 times with a rusty hunting knife almost decapitating her. Two weeks later, her frozen body was discovered in a snow bank. Myers told police investigators that Ms. Christensen was pregnant with his baby but that he was "not ready to have children." In 1996, he confessed to the crime and was given life in prison. [Salt Lake Tribune 9-10-2000 • The Supreme Court of the State Of Utah Case No. 20010955]

Colon, Christina Joyce | 24 | 2004 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Damien Michael Schlager shot Ms. Colon to death then dumped her body in a rock quarry where it was discovered eight days later. Police investigators say that Schlager, who was married with two children, killed Ms. Colon in order to keep their relationship a secret and to avoid paying child support. In 2006, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. [The York Dispatch 7-30-2004 • The Lancaster New Era 9-22 & 28-2004 • Lancaster Intelligencer Journal 10-3-2008]

Croudy, Helen | 16 | 2002 | NJ | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

On New Year's Day, Ms. Croudy was bludgeoned to death with a ball-peen hammer. Then in 2003, Cordell Harper admitted in court that he killed her because she was pregnant with his child and he didn't want the inconvenience of a baby. The judge in the case sentenced him to 50 years in prison. [Philadelphia Inquirer 1-3-2002 • The Press of Atlantic City 8-18-2003]

DeLain, Niasha | 25 | 2008 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. DeLain was a bank teller and accounting student when she was stabbed more than 20 times killing her and her unborn baby. Authorities charged Derrick W. Redd with murder after finding evidence that he killed Ms. DeLain because she was pregnant with his child and would not agree to have an abortion. Investigators say Redd told them that he had argued with Ms. DeLain about her refusal to have the abortion and that when he can't avoid a problem he "eliminates it." Redd was convicted of murder and, in January of 2012, he was given 25-years-to-life in prison. [New York Daily News 12-9-2009 / 11-3-2011]

Demery, Valicia Andrea | 19 | 2009 | MD | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

When Bernard Bellamy Jr. learned that Ms. Demery was pregnant with his child, he ordered her to have an abortion. Because she refused, he intentionally ran over her with his car and left her to die on the campus of the Forestville Military Academy. The night before the murder, Bellamy had sent a text message to Ms. Demery telling her that she should come to her senses about the abortion before it's too late. When she asked, "B4 what's too late," he replied, "U will C." In 2009, Bellamy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received 30 years in prison. [Washington Post 5-12-2009 • Statement of Charges, Prince George's County Maryland, Case 0E00318584]

DePaul, Lisa Ann | 26 | 1991 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

In 1992, Dominic Fierro received 13-to-27 years in prison for the murder of Ms. DePaul. Law enforcement officials were able to establish that Fierro strangled her because she refused to have an abortion. He then tried to stage her apartment to make it appear that a burglary had occurred. Ms. DePaul's father found her body on Christmas morning. An autopsy indicated that she might have miscarried prior to the murder. [Pennsylvania's Intelligencer 9-15-1992 • Philadelphia Inquirer 9-15-1992]

Derosia-Waters, Melody | 19 | 1991 | NH | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Derosia-Waters was killed after suffering three gunshot wounds to the face and back. Prosecutors said that Shane Pitts killed her because she was pregnant with his baby and refused to have an abortion. Pitts was eventually found guilty of second-degree murder and given 40-years-to-life in prison. [New Hampshire Union Leader 12-5-1991 • Supreme Court of New Hampshire syllabus 12-28-1993]

Dethrow, Roselyn | 35 | 2002 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to law enforcement officials, when Ricky Kenard Royster learned that Ms. Dethrow was pregnant with his child, he insisted that she have an abortion in order to conceal the pregnancy from their church. When she refused, he tried to force her to miscarry by giving her poison and kicking her in the stomach. That failed and he then smothered her with a pillow and staged the scene to make it appear that she had been killed during an attempted rape. In 2005, Royster was convicted of murder and given life without parole. [The Winston-Salem Journal 4-7-2005 • North Carolina Court of Appeals No. 02-CRS-61547]

Eatmon, Lisa D. | 33 | 2005 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Roscoe Glinton II threw a hair dryer into Ms. Eatmon's bathwater in a failed attempt to electrocute her. Ten days later, he fatally shot her in the back of the head and dumped her body into the Hudson River. According to prosecutors, Glinton's motive was that Ms. Eatmon was pregnant with his child and had refused to have an abortion. In November of 2006, he was sentenced to 25-years-to-life for her murder. [New York Post 10-5-2006 • NBC10 4-11-2005 • Court TV News 10-12-2006]

Ebron, Karesse | 16 | 2006 | NY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ryan Ross drove Ms. Ebron to a wooded area near her home and bludgeoned her to death with a baseball bat. In 2007, he confessed to the murder and was sentenced to 22-years-to-life in prison. He told investigators that he killed Ms. Ebron because she was pregnant with his baby and would not have an abortion. [New York's Journal News 3-2-2007 / 6-30-2006]

Erazua, Omoyeme "Christine" | 19 | 2011 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Authorities in Houston say that Joseph Mike Devia stabbed Ms. Erazua in the neck more than 20 times and threw her into a ditch to die because she refused to abort their unborn child. Devia, who was linked to the crime by DNA evidence as well as text messages he sent to the victim, was arrested in Illinois and sent back to Texas where he awaits trial for capital murder. [Houston Chronicle 12-6-2011 • My Fox News Houston 12-7-2011 • HoustonPress.com 12-8-2011 • Harris County District Court SPN 02592732]

Escamilla, Anyssia Katherine | 17 | 2010 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to investigators, Jesus Francisco Avitia, Jr., told them that he killed Ms. Escamilla because she was pregnant with his child and refused to have an abortion. After being choked to death and placed in a garbage can, her body was hidden under 60 feet of trash in a nearby landfill. Avitia has been charged with two counts of murder. [The Associated Press 5-25-2010 • The Press-Enterprise 8-16-2010]

Espeleta, Jeanette Gomez | 20 | 1998 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to press reports, when Ms. Espeleta told Richard Tovar that she was pregnant with his child, he ordered her to have an abortion. Because she refused, he shot her to death. Afterward, Tovar and two accomplices rented a boat and dumped her body into the Pacific Ocean. In 2000, he was convicted for her murder and given life in prison with no possibility of parole. [The Orange County Register 11-4-2000]

Figueroa, LaToyia | 24 | 2005 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

After Ms. Figueroa became pregnant by Stephen Poaches, he demanded that she have an abortion. Authorities say that, because she refused, Poaches strangled her and dumped her body in a vacant lot. In 2006, he was convicted in the case and given life in prison without the possibility of parole. [Associated Press 10-17-2006 • Philadelphia Inquirer 10-18-2006 • Philadelphia Daily News 10-14-2006]

Fludd, Shameka | 23 | 2003 | MD | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to authorities, Tjane Charmeise Marshall shot Ms. Fludd to death because she was pregnant with his child and would not have an abortion. Friends of the victim stated that she had told them that Marshall was enraged about the pregnancy but that she could not bear the thought of having an abortion. In 2005, Marshall received life-plus-20-years for Ms. Fludd's murder. [Washington Post 12-20-2004]

Fox, Tanika Rachelle | 17 | 1999 | NC | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Fox was pregnant with the child of Shawn Kristopher Holliman when he shot her to death. Law enforcement investigators discovered that the motive for the murder was that Ms. Fox had refused Holliman's demand to have an abortion. In 2001, he was convicted of her murder and given life in prison. [North Carolina Court of Appeals No. COA02-133 • The Greensboro News and Record 7-11-2001]

Graham, Shawnte | 19 | 1994 | IL | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Prosecutors say that when U.S. Navy Petty Officer, Weldon May, was told that his girlfriend was pregnant, he demanded that she have an abortion. When she refused, May recruited Michael Sapp to kill her. In exchange, May said he would see that Sapp was admitted to the Navy even though he had been previously rejected for poor vision. Sapp went to Ms. Graham's apartment, forced her to strip naked and fatally shot her in the left eye with a .32-caliber handgun. In 1996, May pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and Sapp was convicted of the same charge. [Chicago Tribune 2-25-1994 / 9-21-1996]

Grayson, Latrice | 24 | 2008 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

When former postal worker, Aaron Ashley, found out that Ms. Grayson was pregnant with his child, he ordered her to have an abortion. Because she refused, he stabbed her to death with a pair of scissors. Ms. Grayson's body was found by her four-year-old son. In 2009, a jury sentenced Ashley to 32-years-to-life in prison for her murder. [The Oakland Tribune 1-22-2009 • KTVU 7-31-2009]

Grill, Kristina | 15 | 1993 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to police investigators, Maurice Bailey stabbed Ms. Grill in the neck and beat her severely because she would not abort their child. A seven-year-old boy discovered her body on an elementary school playground. Bailey was eventually convicted of her murder and given life without the possibility of parole. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 9-14-1994 • Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 9-22-2008]

Harrell, Dawnette Marie | 29 | 2006 | MI | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Court records state that, when Justin Scott Stair found out Ms. Harrell was pregnant with his child, he wanted her to have an abortion so he would be free to join the military. She refused and Stair shot her in the back of the head. Her body was eventually found in a shallow grave near the home of Stair's parents. In 2008, he was convicted for her murder and given life without parole. [The Traverse City Record Eagle 5-6-2007 • Channel 9 News 2-25-2008 • State of Michigan Court of Appeals No. 288175]

Harris, JoAnn Crystal | 29 | 2007 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Scott Allen Ansman was convicted of beating Ms. Harris to death with a baseball bat. According to authorities, Ansman was married and having an affair with the victim and, when she became pregnant, he demanded that she have an abortion. Because she refused, he tried to recruit someone to beat her enough to cause a miscarriage. When that was unsuccessful, he decided to kill her himself. In 2009, Ansman was given life without the possibility of parole. [California Second Appellate District, Division Seven Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. SA065166 • The Culver City Patch 5-31-2011 • The Front Page Online 5-28-2009 ]

Hayes, Althea | 27 | 1993 | AZ | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to court documents, Ms. Hayes was shot four times including twice in the back of the head. At the time, she was pregnant with the child of Jerrod Mustaf, a former player with the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns. Prosecutors said that Mustaf recruited his cousin, LaVonnie Wooten, to kill Ms. Hayes because she refused to have an abortion. In 1996, a jury gave Wooten life after finding him guilty of murder. However, despite eyewitness testimony that Wooten said he traveled from Maryland to Arizona "to take care of business" for his cousin, police did not have enough evidence to bring criminal charges against Mustaf. [Arizona Casa Grande Dispatch 1-30-1996 • Seattle Times 10-20-1996 • CNN Sports Illustrated 9-19-1998 • Arizona Court of Appeals Division One No. 1 CA-CR 96-0579]

Hayes, Sonya | 27 | 1999 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Court records show that Terrence Davis shot Ms. Hayes six times because she refused to abort their unborn child. In 2002, Davis was convicted of murder in what prosecutors called a "street abortion" and given life in prison without the possibility of parole. [The Associated Press 2-7 & 11-2000 • Toledo Blade 2-10-2000 • Ohio Court of Appeals Sixth Appellate District No. L-00-1143, Trial Court No. CR-99-1588 June 2002]

Hill, Kimberly Diane | 24 | 1989 | AL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

The body of Ms. Hill was found hog tied with telephone cords. She had been beaten and stabbed 21 times and a towel was stuffed down her throat in an apparent attempt to muffle her screams. It was later revealed that she was pregnant by Joseph Ward Gentry, her co-worker at a Birmingham bank. In a taped confession, Gentry told police that he killed Ms. Hill because her pregnancy posed a threat to his career and marriage. He originally received the death penalty but it was overturned on appeal and replaced with a lesser sentence. [The Birmingham News 1-25-2007 • Supreme Court of Alabama No. 1970962]

Jackson, Sharon | 32 | 1993 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Harvey Colvin intentionally ran over Ms. Jackson with her own car. Prosecutors determined that, at the time of her death, she was pregnant with Colvin's baby and that the two were fighting over her refusal to have an abortion. In 1994, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was given 50 years in the state penitentiary. [The Philadelphia Inquirer 7-30-1993 / 12-23-1994]

Johnson, Tonya M. | 36 | 2009 | TN | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Tarence L. Nelson was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Ms. Johnson and their unborn child. Investigators say Nelson was angry that she would not have an abortion and decided to kill her. Ms. Johnson was shot in the head and in the abdomen, reinforcing the prosecution's claim that he was trying to kill both mother and child. In 2011, Nelson was given two life sentences. [Greenfield Daily Reporter 6-27-2011 • WMC-TV 9-27-2009 • My Fox Memphis 9-28-2009]

Lovato, Sarah Marie | 17 | 2009 | NM | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Charged in the double homicide of Ms. Lovato and her father is Marino Leyba, Jr. Police investigators say that Ms. Lovato was pregnant with Leyba's baby and that his motive for shooting her was his anger over her decision to carry the pregnancy to term. Apparently, her father was killed simply because he was present at the murder scene. [The New Mexican 4-26-2010 / 7-6-2010]

Lyons, Ashley Renee | 18 | 2004 | KY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Lyons was pregnant with the child of Roger McBeath when he shot her twice in the head and once in the neck. Investigators say that McBeath had told Ms. Lyons to have an abortion but she refused. They say he then solicited people to physically assault her and cause a miscarriage. During his trial, it was also revealed that he had called a former girlfriend of his who worked in a hospital emergency room and asked her about the availability of abortion-causing pills or other products. In 2009, McBeath confessed to killing Ms. Lyons and was given a 42-year prison sentence. [Associated Press State & Local Wire 9-22-2004 • Lexington Herald Leader 3-31-2004 / 10-26-2004 • WKYT-TV 8-4-2009]

Mackey, Rochelle M. | 27 | 2005 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Witnesses state that when Conroy James Hayes learned that Ms. Mackey was pregnant with his child, he warned her that she "better have" an abortion because he did not want a baby. She was upset by Hayes' demand and told him to leave her apartment. Two days later, he shot her to death. In 2006, he was convicted of her murder and given a 64-year prison sentence. [NewsBank Info Web 8-25-2005 • Bakersville.com news 3-27-2009 • California Court of Appeals Fifth Appellate District Superior Court No. BF110986A]

Marshall, Brandi Nicole | 20 | 2000 | LA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Javier Perry was charged with murder and feticide in the deaths of Ms. Marshall and the couple's unborn child. According to authorities, Ms. Marshall was killed because she refused Perry's demand to have an abortion. Perry admitted to police that he put the gun to her head while they argued about the abortion but that he only meant to scare her. He claimed the gun went off accidentally. Because there were no witnesses, police were not able to prove that Perry actually intended to kill Ms. Marshall and he was acquitted. [The Times-Picayune 2-23-2002]

Mitts, Deana | 24 | 1999 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

On New Years Day, Joseph P. Minerd used a pipe bomb to kill Ms. Mitts. Minerd told police that he killed her because she refused to have an abortion. Also killed in the attack were the couple's unborn child and Ms. Mitt's three-year-old daughter. During Minerd's trial, evidence showed that he had beaten the victim twice trying to force her to have an abortion. In 2002, he was convicted of her murder and given life without parole. [Associated Press 11-6-2004 • Pittsburgh Tribune Review 11-7-2007 • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 5-1-2002 • Daily Courier 5-2-2002 • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Case No: 02-3305]

Moody, Denna | 39 | 1997 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Moody's body was found in her burned out car but, because it was so badly charred, it was not possible to officially determine the cause of death. Prosecutors say that she was slain by the father of her unborn child, Alfred Elliot Smith, because she had refused his demand to have an abortion. In 1998, Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and given 15-years-to-life in prison. [The Los Angeles Daily News 8-25-1997 / 5-21-1998 • Los Angeles Times 5-21-1998]

Moore, Shorlonda Lynette | 23 | 1999 | TN | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

After being strangled, Ms. Moore's body was found in a burned out car. Prosecutors claimed that Eric Laquinne Brown killed her because she was pregnant with his child and "causing him problems, demanding child support." He eventually pleaded guilty and received a life sentence. [The Associated Press 11-30-1999]

Moreno, Martha | 29 | 2002 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Moreno was stabbed three times in the stomach and strangled by her boyfriend Gilberto Cano. Citing testimony given by a forensic pathologist, prosecutors stated that the stab wounds were clearly intended to kill the unborn child. In 2005, the state agreed to a second-degree murder plea with Cano for a reduced sentence of 17-years-to-life. [The Modesto Bee 5-8-2003]

Munoz, Brittany | 16 | 2009 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Munoz was pregnant with the baby of Garrett Cole Gower when he suffocated her. An investigation revealed that Gower was angry about the pregnancy and that he and Ms. Munoz had been arguing about it for two weeks. According to the prosecutor in the case, Gower was worried that his mother would kick him out of the house if she found out that Ms. Munoz was pregnant. In 2010, he was convicted of capital murder and given life without parole. [Dallas Morning News 8-23 & 25-2010 • CBS News 8-26-2010]

Newman, Rosemary | 18 | 2011 | IL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Newman was beaten and strangled with a phone cord and her body dumped in a forest preserve. The father of her unborn baby, Deandre Minkens, and an accomplice, Shante Thomas, have been charged with kidnapping and murder. Investigators said Minkens' motive in killing Ms. Newman was that he didn't want to be a father. [CBS/WBBM 4-29-2011 • NWI Times 5-25-2011 • Chicago Tribune 4-29-2011]

Ormston, Angel C. | 17 | 1992 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Ormston was stabbed to death and her decomposed body was found in an isolated area five months later. The father of her unborn child, Mark J. Sotka, confessed to the crime, telling police that he became angry with Ms. Ormston because she refused to have an abortion. In 1993, Sotka pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and kidnapping and will have to serve at least 30 years in prison before being eligible for parole. [Cleveland Plain Dealer 2-6 & 14-1993.]

Peck, Jennifer Montroy | 25 | 1995 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Peck was bludgeoned to death with a claw hammer by her husband of six months. Prosecutors in the case said that Joseph L. Peck killed his wife because she was pregnant and would not agree to have an abortion. Almost eight years later, a jury found him guilty of murder and gave him life in prison without parole. [Sarasota Herald-Tribune 9-2-2003 • St. Petersburg Times 6-26-2002 / 9-10-2003]

Rabsatt, Stephanie | 17 | 2009 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Rabsatt's body was found in a car parked beside a Winn-Dixie grocery store. She died from a gunshot wound to the head. A second shot to her stomach had also killed her unborn child. Authorities charged the baby's father, Edward Jermaine Babbs, with murder after law enforcement investigators determined that he killed Ms. Rabsatt because she had refused his demand to have an abortion. [Sun-Sentinel.com 1-3-2012 • Post Newsweek 1-6-2012]

Raynor, Selene Kelsi | 21 | 2009 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Raynor was pregnant with the child of Tyrell Hart when she was killed by a single gunshot to the face. In a signed statement to police, Hart confessed that he killed her because she was going to have the baby. He said he was "angry and frustrated over her being pregnant," adding that "I wasn't ready for that." His trial is scheduled for March of 2012. [Philadelphia Inquirer 10-17-2009 • Philadelphia Daily News 1-13-2010]

Rivera, Lorena Iliana | 21 | 1997 | OK | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Rivera disappeared from Oklahoma City and her body was later discovered in an unmarked grave. Law enforcement investigators were able to determine that she had been shot to death by her ex-boyfriend, Nathaniel Dee Smith, and his new girlfriend, Virginia Ramirez. Affidavits produced during their trial showed that Ms. Rivera was pregnant with Smith's child and that he had threatened to kill her unless she had an abortion. She refused and, about one month later, Smith and Ramirez conspired to kill her. Both were eventually convicted of murder and given life sentences. [Tulsa World News 7-19-1997 • The Daily Oklahoman 7-18-1997 / 12-20-1997]

Sepulveda, Elaine Amanda | 15 | 2004 | WA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Two months after Ms. Sepulveda's family reported her missing, her badly decomposed body was found in a shallow grave. Her boyfriend, James L. Sanders, was arrested for the crime after witnesses told police that he was angry about her being pregnant with his child and that the couple had been arguing about her refusal to get an abortion. In 2005, Sanders pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was given eight and a half years in prison. [KOMO-TV Seattle 1-20-2005 • The Seattle Post Intelligencer 1-20-2005 • The Whidbey News Times 5-4-2005]

Sills, Tavia | 18 | 2008 | LA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Lamondre Markes Tucker and an accomplice shot Ms. Sills twice and attempted to set her on fire with a flammable liquid. After she jumped into a nearby pond, they shot her a third time. Prosecutors stated that Tucker's motive for the murder was that Ms. Sills was pregnant with his child and he didn't want a second baby because he had just had one with another woman. In 2011, a jury convicted him of murder and sentenced him to death. [The Shreveport Times 3-22-2011 • KTBS News 3-2-2011 • KSLA TV News 3-19-2011 / 6-29-2011]

Smith, Antwonyia | 18 | 2004 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

When Terrence Chadwick Lawrence learned that Ms. Smith was pregnant with his child, he told another girlfriend that he was going to "take care of" the problem. He later shot Ms. Smith three times with a shotgun. In 2006, he was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison. The judge in his trial stated that, "...it is clear that Lawrence knew that his victim was pregnant, that he killed her because she was pregnant, and that he intended to kill the fetus..." [Court of Criminal Appeal of Texas No. PD-0236-07 • The Laredo Times 11-23-2007]

Smith, Ingrid | 15 | 2005 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ronald M. Hill, a 32-year-old father of four, began a sexual relationship with Ms. Smith after meeting her through an internet chat room service. Prosecutors say that after Hill learned she was pregnant, he slashed her throat because she refused to have an abortion. An autopsy showed that Ms. Smith was not pregnant. In a 2006 trial, Hill received a life sentence. [Ft. Worth Star Telegram 4-9-2005 / 3-3 & 4-2006]

Snyder, Jennifer Lindsay | 27 | 2011 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Authorities say that David Adam Rapoport shot Ms. Snyder twice in the mouth and once in the head before dumping her body in a nature preserve. Rapoport was married at the time and law enforcement investigators say that he acted out of anger over the fact that Ms. Snyder was pregnant with his child. One witness told police that Rapoport "flipped out" when he learned about the pregnancy. In December of 2011, he pleaded guilty and was given life without the possibility of parole. [The Morning Call 5-12-2011 / 12-8-2011 • Associated Press 5-11-2011 • The Express-Times 6-10-2011]

Sookdeo, Amelia Sabrina | 17 | 2006 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

When Dane Patrick Abdool was told by Ms. Sookdeo that she was pregnant with his child, he offered two teenage boys $400 to kill her in an apparent attempt to conceal the relationship from his new girlfriend. Law enforcement officials say that, when this failed, he lured the victim to a remote area, poured gasoline on her and set her on fire. Her body was still burning when police discovered it the next day. In 2008, Abdool was convicted of murder and given the death penalty. [WKMG Local 6 News Orlando 3-3-2006 • Orlando Sentinel 2-20-2008 • Ninth Judicial Circuit # 48-2006-CF-002848-O]

Stevenson, Tanika | 24 | 1997 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

When Ms. Stevenson told Derrick Clements that she was pregnant with his child, he pressured her to have an abortion and even offered her money to do so. When she refused, he shot her in the back of the head and put her body in the trunk of her car. Police investigators discovered that Clements had insisted on the abortion in order to keep his wife from learning about the affair he was having with Ms. Stevenson. In 1999, he was convicted of her murder and given life in prison. [Columbus Ledger Enquirer 9-13-2011 • Supreme Court of Georgia S11A0628 and S11X0699]

Stewart-McKinnie, Ceeatta Kim | 23 | 2002 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Stewart-McKinnie was killed by Willis Edward Anderson after he learned that she was pregnant with his child. When her body was found, police estimated that she had been struck at least 25 times with a heavy tool or hammer. At trial, it was shown that Anderson killed her because he was concerned that the pregnancy was going to interfere with his way of life and force him to pay child support. One of Ms. Stewart-McKinnie's relatives testified that she had undergone a previous abortion and had repeatedly stated that she would never have another one. In 2002, Anderson was convicted of her murder and given 50 years in prison. [Washington Post 12-20-2004 • Richmond Times Dispatch 11-8-2002 • Supreme Court of Virginia Record #032661]

Stowe, Rebecca Lynn | 15 | 1993 | MI | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

More than two years after Ms. Stowe disappeared from her home, her body was found on property owned by her boyfriend's uncle. She had been strangled and her neck was broken. Authorities established that the boyfriend, Robert Eugene Leamon, had killed her because she was pregnant with his child and had refused his demand to have an abortion. In 1997, a jury convicted Leamon of murdering Ms. Stowe and sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [Michigan Court of Appeals No. 201833 • Detroit Free Press 3-1-1997]

Stuart, Carol DiMaiti | 30 | 1989 | MA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Stuart was shot in the head and her husband, Charles, was shot in the stomach while they sat in the family car. He told police that they were attacked and robbed by a black man, setting off a manhunt in Boston's black neighborhoods and the arrest of a suspect. Hovever, police eventually determined that Charles Stuart had murdered his wife and then shot himself in an effort to support his robbery claim. Witnesses, including Stuart's brother, testified that he had sought their help in killing his wife because she was pregnant and refused to have an abortion. Before the case could go to trial, Stuart committed suicide. [Newsday 3-6-2003 • New York Times 1-21-1990 • Time Magazine 1-24-2001]

Sulk, Daphne Kristel | 15 | 1997 | WY | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Sulk was pregnant by 38-year-old Kevin James Robinson when her body was found in a wooded area. She had been savagely beaten and stabbed 17 times in the neck and chest. Witnesses testified that Robinson murdered her in a violent rage because he had demanded that she have an abortion and she would not agree to do so. In 1998, he was convicted and sentenced to 22-to-29 years in prison. [The Associated Press 8-31-1998 / 9-28-2000 • The Supreme Court of Wyoming #99-167]

Taylor, Crystal Dejuanna | 27 | 2001 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

According to authorities, Skyler Jefferson Moore ambushed Ms. Taylor in the carport of her home and shot her to death. Homicide detectives say that she was pregnant with the child of Derek Paul Smyder who had paid Moore to kill her because she refused to have an abortion. However, police did not have enough evidence to file charges until October of 2011 when they got a break in the case. Currently, Smyder is awaiting trial for capital murder in Ms. Taylor's death and Moore is serving life without parole for an unrelated murder. [KABC Ch. 7 News 11-9-2011 • DailyBreeze.com 11-9-2011]

Taylor, Kyunia | 15 | 1996 | MO | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Taylor was sitting on a school bus when Malik Nettles came on board and shot her to death. At the time, she was pregnant by her 29-year-old next-door neighbor, Mark Boyd. Law enforcement investigators later determined that Boyd had paid Nettles $4,000 to kill Ms. Taylor because he was already paying support for two other children. He was also concerned that he might be prosecuted for statutory rape. In 1998, Boyd was convicted of murder and given 26 years in prison. Nettles was convicted of capital murder and given life. [C-J Online News 1-11-1998 • St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3-31-1998 • Missouri Court of Appeals # 73807]

Thomas, Quinnisha Renee | 18 | 2003 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Prosecutors were able to show that Ms. Thomas was shot to death by Deondre Terrell Hudson because she was pregnant with his child and he was concerned that a baby would derail his plans of becoming a rap star. In 2004, he was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [The Sacramento Bee 11-9-2009 • ABC Channel 10 News 5-14-2004]

Tusa, Dawn Elizabeth | 21 | 2004 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Tusa was found shot to death in her car and police charged her husband, Johnathan Robert Tusa, with her murder. A law enforcement investigation revealed that he killed her because she was pregnant and would not agree to have an abortion. In 2006, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12-15-2004 / 10-21-2006]

Walsh, Allison Marie | 21 | 2011 | PA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Authorities allege that Ms. Walsh was pregnant by Matthew Scott Becker when he shot her in the head killing her and her unborn daughter. Witnesses and family members state that Becker was angry with Ms. Walsh because he didn't want the baby and she refused to have an abortion. Prosecutors have filed the paperwork necessary to seek the death penalty when the case comes up for trial. [Intelligencer Journal 8-19-2011 • Pennsylvania State Police at Ephrata Complaint #J05-13329Z1]

Walters, Elizabeth | 24 | 2007 | MD | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Unknown to Ms. Walters, her boyfriend, David Lee Miller, was married when he impregnated her. Authorities say that he had ordered her to have an abortion in order to conceal what they called his "double life" and that, when he later discovered that she didn't comply, he shot her to death. A witness stated that Miller told the victim, "I thought you got rid of it" and "You're not going to ruin my life" just moments before the shooting. He also shot the witness but she survived to testify against Miller. In 2008, he was convicted and given life in prison. [The Baltimore Sun 3-25-2008 • Washington Examiner 9-8-2008]

Washington, Cheri | 17 | 2005 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Washington was pregnant by 27-year-old, Carlos Diangilo Williams, who demanded that she have an abortion. When she refused, he tied her up with duct tape, beat her with a baseball bat and stomped on her stomach with his boot. In 2005, Williams was convicted in the case and sentenced to 48 years in prison. [Washington Post 1-30-2005 • Richmond Times-Dispatch 5-8-2006 / 12-21-2005]

Watkins, Barbara J. | 15 | 1999 | OH | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Watkins' decomposing body was found in a wooded area one month after she was murdered. Investigators determined that her boyfriend, Sean Steele, had choked her, dropped a 50-pound rock on her stomach and stabbed her in the neck with a broken beer bottle. Witnesses told authorities that, in the weeks leading up to Ms. Watkins' disappearance, Steele had threatened to kill her if she didn't get an abortion and he later admitted that her refusal was the motive for the murder. In 2000, he was sentenced to 15-years-to- life in prison. [The Columbus Dispatch 4-1 & 5-2000]

Watkins, Samira | 25 | 2009 | FL | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

When Ms. Watkins told Zachary Antwann Littleton that she was pregnant with his baby, he demanded that she have an abortion in order to hide their affair from his wife. She refused and 11 days later her body washed ashore near the entrance of the Pensacola Naval Station with duct tape wrapped around her nose, mouth and eyes. A police analysis of Littleton's computer records and phone calls showed that, after learning of the pregnancy, he sought information on abortion clinics. Later, he researched methods of causing miscarriages and, finally, he looked for material on how to speed up human decomposition. In 2011, Littleton was found guilty and given life in prison. [Pensacola News Journal 1-16-2010 / 6-30-2011 • Citizen's Times 6-28-2011 • ABC News Channel 3 Pensacola 6-27-2011]

Wells, Marlisa | 16 | 2008 | GA | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Police say that Matthew Frederick Wilkins followed Ms. Wells into a restroom, slammed her head into a toilet, stabbed her over 60 times and left a fork protruding from her back. Several witnesses stated that he was angry that she was pregnant with his baby and had decided to keep it. In 2010, he was convicted of her murder and given life in prison plus 20 years. An autopsy revealed that Ms. Wells was not pregnant. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 3-10-2010 • The Marietta Daily Journal 3-19-2010]

Wheeler, Shantay Latrice | 18 | 2001 | VA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Five months after Ms. Wheeler disappeared, her body was found in a wooded area. She died from multiple gunshot wounds including two to the jaw, one to the head and one in the back. Prosecutors were able to prove that Irvin "Jack" Fountain, 28, who was married to another woman at the time, killed Ms. Wheeler because she refused to have an abortion. In 2006, a jury convicted him of capital murder and sentenced him to life in prison. [The Daily Progress 9-5 & 6-2007 / 11-19-2007]

Wilson, Ashley Nicole | 19 | 2004 | TX | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Ms. Wilson was strangled with the cord from her high school graduation gown. Her boyfriend, Dan Randall Leach, eventually confessed to police that he killed her because she was pregnant with his child and he didn't want to have anything to do with her or the baby. Leach eventually received 75 years in the Texas State Penitentiary. [Houston Chronicle 8-11-2004 / 11-10-2004 • Associated Press 8-11-2004]

Young, Daborah | 19 | 2011 | MI | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Prosecutors say Jomiah Washington shot Ms. Young in the head and set her body on fire. According to witnesses, she was pregnant with Washington's baby and he was angry that she was planning to continue the pregnancy to term. He has been charged with her murder and faces life in prison. Ms. Young was developmentally challenged and, at the time of her death, had the mental capacity of a 14-year-old. [WJBK, Fox2 Detroit 6-30-2011 • Detroit Free Press 7-1-2011]

Youngbear, Vanessa | 16 | 2002 | OK | Murder-Sacrifice Self-Evident

Trevor Wayne Benson and Kelly Don McCarney lured Ms. Youngbear to a remote area and shot her to death. Both were arrested the next day and indicted for first-degree murder. Ms. Youngbear was pregnant by Benson and prosecutors said he was afraid that, if she had the baby, he would go to jail for statutory rape. Following his 2003 trial, Benson received life without the possibility of parole. In exchange for his testimony against Benson, McCarney received only five years. [Clinton Daily News 1-24-2003 • The Daily Oklahoman 8-29-2003 • KOCO News 7-23-2002]

Yukevich, Ann Marie | 39 | 1993 | MA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

In 1995, Michael Bowler pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Ms. Yukevich. According to law enforcement investigators and testimony given by members of the victim's family, he suffocated her because she was pregnant with his child and refused his demand to have an abortion. [Boston Herald 8-25-1993 • Appeals Court of Massachusetts Case No: 02-P-1404]

Zazueta, Lisa Marie | 29 | 2008 | CA | Murder-Sacrifice Confirmed

Ms. Zazueta was found lying in a Santa Barbara street dead from a stab wound to the neck. Investigators eventually found a text message written by Ms. Zazueta in which she indicated that she was pregnant with the child of Garren Vance Musser. The message also showed that she was refusing to comply with Musser's demand to have an abortion. A prosecutor in the case stated that, "Even minutes before this homicide occurs, he's telling her to get rid of the child." In 2011, Musser was found guilty of Ms. Zazueta's murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. An autopsy showed that she was mistaken about being pregnant. [The Daily Sound 10-23-2009 • Santa Barbara Independent 10-21-2009 / 4-11 & 14-2011 / 6-3-2011]