In Memory of the Women Who Died for the Right to Choose Life
Click link for each description. Please contact us if you know someone who is missing from this memorial.

Adams, Cherica (1975-1999)

    
Cherica Adams of North Carolina was affectionately known as "Cookie" since she liked sweets. She was a smart young woman, having graduated with high grades from Charlotte High School in 1993. She was involved with professional sports, having baby-sat for NBA players from the Charlotte Hornets and having worked as an intern for the NFL's Carolina Panthers. In 1995, after spending two years in college, she began to pursue a career in real estate. She also worked as a model and a dancer.

But in the Fall of 1999, Cherica was eight months pregnant with her son Chancellor, when she was shot to death by a hit-man. The hit-man was hired by Chancellor's father, an NFL player for the Carolina Panthers. He wanted Cherica to get an abortion, but she chose life. Chancellor survived the shooting, but was permanently disabled as a result of it. He was raised by Cherica's mother, Saundra Adams.

Under the RTCL Act, Cherica's pregnancy would have been registered with the state as an illegitimate pregnancy before the father even found out. The state would have then required the father to choose between two ways that he could have paid for impregnating a woman illegitimately. Since her choice would have had no bearing on him and his choice, she never would have been under any danger for choosing to continue her pregnancy with Chancellor.

Davis, Jessie (1981-2007) and daughter Chloe

  
Jessie Davis was born in Waco, Texas and moved with her family to Akron, Ohio when she was 16. She graduated from Coventry High School and began working for Allstate Insurance Co. in Hudson, Ohio. She started sinning with a married police officer, and in December 2004, she gave birth to his 3rd child, a son named Blake. She was the 3rd different woman that he had impregnated illegitimately. He had married the 2nd woman, and the 1st was raising his 1st child on her own. In 2006, Jessie became pregnant illegitimately with his 4th child, a daughter who was going to be named Chloe.

Then, while Jessie was still pregnant with Chloe, a 4th woman became pregnant illegitimately with his 5th child. It's little wonder that he was beginning to suffer financial hardship. So, while the 4th woman was aborting his 5th child, he was plotting to kill Jessie and Chloe (the 3rd woman and 4th child). He killed them on June 14, 2007, just 19 days before Chloe was due to be born. A 5th woman helped him bury their bodies, but 2-1/2 year old Blake saw what happened and was a key witness in cracking the case.

Under the RTCL Act, things never would have spiraled out of control the way they did. At some point, the father of Jessie's two children would have made the plea bargain, so that there never would have been a motive for him to kill Jessie and Chloe or for the 4th woman to abort his 5th child.

Fretwell, Karissa (1993-2019) and son Billy

  
Karissa Fretwell of Oregon was the daughter of William and Nyla Fretwell. William was a preacher who passed away just after Karissa turned 14. In the Spring of 2015, when she was 21, she had an affair with a man who was close to her father's age, not knowing that he was married until she became pregnant with his child. When he found out about her pregnancy, he wanted her to get an abortion; but she chose life, in hopes of raising her child on her own.

She gave birth to Billy on February 18, 2016, naming him after her father. She tried to raise him on her own; but by 2019, she was in need of child support. Billy's father was unhappy with the amount of child support the state was requiring him to pay. Then, on the night of May 13/14, 2019, Karissa and Billy went missing. Their bodies were found a few weeks later. Billy's father inadvertently left a trail of evidence (in the form of cell tower pings), which led detectives to him.

Under the RTCL Act, Karissa's pregnancy would have been registered with the state as an illegitimate pregnancy before the father even found out. The state would have then required the father to choose between two ways that he could have paid for impregnating a woman illegitimately. Since her choice would have had no bearing on him and his choice, she never would have been under any danger for choosing to continue her pregnancy with Billy.

Harlan, Ashley (1994-2018)

  
Ashley Harlan of Kansas had a difficult childhood. Her mother died when she was very young, resulting in her entering the foster care system. She ran away from her foster home and struggled with drug addiction. But she began to turn her life around. In 2014, she graduated from Homestead Ministries, which assists women who survive sex trafficking and other forms of abuse. Then, she went to Kansas State University with the goal of becoming a social worker, so that she could help young people going through the same sort of difficulties that she had gone through. In 2017, she became pregnant. She chose life and began to look forward to being a first time mom.

On January 31, 2018, she was scheduled to have an ultrasound to learn the sex of her baby. But sadly, that would never happen; because that was the day she was found dead, a victim of homicide. At first, nobody suspected that her boyfriend was the killer. He even appeared on the news with her family, as they begged viewers to report anything that they might have seen to the police. But it wasn't long before he was found to be the guilty one.

Under the RTCL Act, the state would have required him to choose between two ways that he could pay for the act of impregnating a woman illegitimately, regardless of whether someone aborts his unborn child. Since he would have had to pay regardless, he would not have had a motive to kill them.

Jones, Amanda (born 1978, missing since 2005) and son Hayden

  
Amanda and Jeffrey "Scott" Jones were only married for a couple of years; but during their time together, they had a daughter named Hannah. After the divorce, Amanda began to raise Hannah on her own, working as a loan administrator at Eagle Bank in Festus, Missouri. In December 2004, she met a man at a company Christmas party, but broke up with him shortly thereafter. During their brief time together, she became pregnant with his child.

When she told him in February 2005, he denied being the father but offered to pay for an abortion anyway. However, Amanda was a Christian who did not believe in abortion. She chose life and began making plans to raise her son on her own. She was going to name him Hayden. But on August 14, 2005, just a few weeks before her due date, Amanda and her preborn son went missing. The last man to see them was her son's alleged father. As of 2020, Amanda's body has not been found and the police lack the evidence to prove the guilt of the alleged father.

Under the RTCL Act, Amanda's illegitimate pregnancy would have been registered with the state before the father even found out. Then, after confirming the paternity, the state would have required him to pay, in one of two ways, for impregnating a woman illegitimately, regardless of whether someone kills the unborn child. This would have taken away the motive for him to kill and hide Amanda, thereby making it safe for her to choose life.

Kostial, Alexandria (1997-2019)

  
"Ally" Kostial was a smart and athletic young woman from St. Louis, Missouri. At Lindbergh High School, she was a cheerleader, a long distance runner on the track team, a golfer, and a lifeguard. She was also a member of several school clubs, such as Youth in Government and the National Honor Society. After graduating from high school in 2016, Ally went to Ole Miss University in Oxford, Mississippi. She studied marketing, and was set to graduate in the Spring of 2020. But in the Spring of 2019, her on again off again boyfriend made her pregnant.

He was very upset about the pregnancy, demanding that she get an abortion. But Ally chose life. Then, on July 20, 2019, while she was 17 weeks pregnant, Ally was found dead near Sardis lake, about 20 miles from Oxford. Investigators say that her boyfriend kidnapped her before shooting her to death near the lake.

Under the RTCL Act, Ally's pregnancy would have been registered with the state before her boyfriend even found out. Then, the state would have contacted him, giving him a choice between two ways that he could pay for impregnating a woman illegitimately, regardless of whether his unborn child is killed. He would not have had a motive to threaten Ally to choose abortion. Nor would he have had a motive to kill her for choosing life.

Nalley, Jennifer (1976-2016)

  
Jennifer Nalley, the only child of Jack and Nancy Nalley, was a founder of the Texas Rollergirls, which grew into a new roller derby league. She was known as "Pixie Tourette" on the flat track. Her interest in Math and Physics led to her also becoming a teacher of those subjects, who was dearly loved by her students. In 2016, she was participating in the Jackson Hole Juggernauts Roller Derby when she became pregnant. She began making preparations to be a first time mom.

But the father of her child wanted her to get an abortion. He sent her a text message which said, "I'm praying for a miscarriage or an abortion. If not one of us will wind up dead." But Ms. Nalley courageously chose life. Then, late on July 4, 2016, just after America had celebrated its 240th independence day, he killed her and their unborn child. In his trial, it was mentioned that she was the third woman who he had impregnated illegitimately, but the first one who chose life. The other two had chosen abortion.

Under the RTCL Act, the state would have required him to choose between two ways that he could have paid for his first act of impregnating a woman illegitimately. Since he likely would have paid for it by making the plea bargain, he likely would have never committed his second and third acts of IWI. Nor would he have ever had the motive to kill Ms. Nalley. Perhaps, his first child would not have been aborted either. Instead, he sadly caused four lives to be lost, three unborn children and Jennifer Nalley.

Rouhselang, Breana (2001-2018)

  
Breana Rouhselang was an athletic student from Mishawaka High School in Mishawaka, Indiana. She was a basketball player, a cheerleader, and a manager on the football team. By the time she finished her sophomore year of high school in the Spring of 2018, Breana had begun to think about her future after high school. She had dreams of going to college to study athletic training. But in June of 2018, a dramatic change occurred in her life. That's when her boyfriend, a player on the football team, made her pregnant.

As Breana entered her junior year, she still had not told her boyfriend about the pregnancy. She did not even tell her parents. Finally, after Thanksgiving 2018, Breana told her boyfriend. He was very angry, because he would have wanted her to get an abortion, but she waited too long to tell him. She was almost six months pregnant by the time he found out. So, he spent a week planning to kill her. Then, he stabbed her to death on December 9, 2019. Her parents never even knew that she was six months pregnant.

Under the RTCL Act, Breana would have been encouraged to report her pregnancy to her school nurse, who would have then reported it to the state. The state would have then contacted her boyfriend, giving him a choice between two ways that he could pay for impregnating a woman illegitimately, regardless of whether someone kills the unborn child by abortion or otherwise. Since he would have had to pay regardless, he never would have had a motive to kill Breana.

Schelling, Kelsie (born 1991, missing since 2013)

  
Kelsie Schelling was born and raised in Holyoke, Colorado. After high school, she went to Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado. Her plan was to study psychology. She began to date a star player on the men's basketball team. Then, she became pregnant with his child, confirming it with an ultrasound on February 4, 2013. She immediately called her boyfriend, as well as her mother, to let them know the news.

According to Kelsie's mother, Kelsie's boyfriend was upset about the pregnancy. She also said that Kelsie wanted the baby and would not have wanted an abortion. Late in the evening of February 4, Kelsie got off work and traveled to Pueblo, Colorado to meet up with her boyfriend. She has been missing ever since. Her boyfriend has changed his story a few times as to what happened in Pueblo. He is scheduled to go on trial in 2020.

Under the RTCL Act, Kelsie's pregnancy would have been reported to the state before her boyfriend even found out. The state would have then contacted him to let him know that he is being charged with impregnating a woman illegitimately and that he must pay for it, in one of two ways, regardless of whether someone tries to do something to his child. Since he would have had to pay regardless, he would not have had a motive to kill Kelsie and their child.

Wallen, Laura (1986-2017)

  
Laura Wallen, of Olney Maryland, was a social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Howard County. She dated a man who, unbeknownst to her, was in another relationship. Laura became pregnant with his child in 2017, even though he was wanting to marry the other woman. He ended up lying to Laura, leading her to believe that he was going to marry her.

According to investigators, he lured her to a remote field on September 2, 2017 and shot her to death, burying her in a shallow grave. She was 14 weeks pregnant at the time. Her boyfriend would end up committing suicide in jail. Since then, Laura's parents have sought to have Maryland's law changed so that this type of homicide would be considered a double homicide. Laura's mother is convinced that the pregnancy has a lot to do with the murder, saying, "I absolutely believe that the baby became an inconvenience."

Under the RTCL Act, Laura's pregnancy would have been reported to the state before her boyfriend even found out. The state would have then contacted her boyfriend to let him know that he was being charged with impregnating a woman illegitimately and that he will have to pay for it, in one of two ways, regardless of whether someone tries to harm his unborn child by abortion or otherwise. Since he would have had to pay regardless, he would not have had a motive to kill Laura.

Webb, Jennifer (1979-2011) and son Braxton

  
Jennifer Webb was born in Saginaw, Michigan and graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1997. She went to Delta College and Saginaw State University. She worked for Anderson Logistics, and later for P.F. Mackey. She enjoyed hunting and camping, and was an avid football fan of the Michigan Wolverines. She had an affair with a police officer, thinking that he was separated from his wife. She became pregnant with his child in December of 2010.

Jennifer chose life and began to look forward to raising her child on her own. He was a boy and she was going to name him Braxton. On August 30, 2011, while she was 8-1/2 months pregnant, she told her friend that she was going to meet up with Braxton's father to discuss child support. That was when the police officer killed them. He tried to make it look like a suicide, but he was proven guilty through DNA evidence.

Under the RTCL Act, Jennifer's pregnancy would have been reported to the state, which would have then informed the police officer that he was being charged with impregnating a woman illegitimately, and that he was required to pay for it, in one of two ways, regardless of whether anyone ever harms his unborn child by abortion or otherwise. That would have taken away the motive for him to kill Jennifer and Braxton.

Wiles, Brechue (1994-2018)

  
Brechue Wiles of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was born on November 8, 1994. She was described as being bright, outgoing, energetic, and happy. She loved to dance, she loved to travel, and she loved everybody. She had aspirations of going to Spartanburg Methodist College to pursue a surgical tech degree.

Brechue had a boyfriend, and in 2018, she became pregnant with his child. He did not want her to have the baby. But she chose life. On May 11, 2018, she went to Duncan Park Lake to meet up with him. But it was there that he killed her.

Under the RTCL Act, Brechue's pregnancy would have been reported to the state, which would have then contacted her boyfriend, letting him know that he was being charged with impregnating a woman illegitimately, and that he would have to pay for it, in one of two ways, regardless of whether someone kills his child by abortion or otherwise. Since he would have had to pay regardless, he would not have had a motive to kill Brechue and their child.


The following murder cases were found at: www.prolifeamerica.com
(WARNING: The details for some of these cases can be rather graphic.)

Ambrosino, Susan | 26 | 2005 | NY | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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. In2001, 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 Observer2-25-2000 / 12-10-2001]

Boyd, Anastasia Latrice | 24 | 2010 | FL | Abortion Motive 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 Times3-25-2010 • Channel 8 News St Petersburg 3-24-2010]

Browne, Zaneta | 29 | 2002 | NY | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 Inquirer1-3-2002 • The Press of Atlantic City 8-18-2003]

DeLain, Niasha | 25 | 2008 | NY | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive Confirmed

  
In 1992, Dominic Fierro received 13½-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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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. In2006, 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 Reporter6-27-2011 • WMC-TV 9-27-2009 • My Fox Memphis 9-28-2009]

Lovato, Sarah Marie | 17 | 2009 | NM | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 news3-27-2009 • California Court of Appeals Fifth Appellate District Superior Court No. BF110986A]

Marshall, Brandi Nicole | 20 | 2000 | LA | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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 Oklahoman8-29-2003 • KOCO News 7-23-2002]

Yukevich, Ann Marie | 39 | 1993 | MA | Abortion Motive 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 | Abortion Motive 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]