PA - LaToyia Figueroa, 24, pregnant, Philadelphia, 18 July 2005

[mysteriew]

“I accidentally let the temper get the best of me,” Poaches told detectives, according to the statement read at his preliminary hearing. “I squeezed a little too long, resulting in her death.”

He was ordered to remain behind bars pending an arraignment Sept. 21 on two charges of first-degree murder. He stared straight ahead and remained expressionless as Homicide Detective Charles Boyle read the statement in court Wednesday.

“I feel terrible for the act I committed,” Poaches said in the statement, in which he also apologized to Figueroa’s family. “I don’t feel I am a murderer. This was not premeditated.”

According to Poaches’ statement, he started choking Figueroa after she struck him in the face and shoulder during an argument in his West Philadelphia apartment.

“I kind of freaked out when she stopped hitting,” he said in the statement. “She was dead. That was it.”

Authorities did not provide details on what sparked the fatal dispute on July 18, hours after Poaches accompanied Figueroa to a medical checkup.
http://kyw.com/Local News/local_story_243150833.html

Detectives told NBC 10 News that Poaches killed Figueroa in his apartment on July 18. Police said that it took 16 hours for Poaches, 25, to confess after he was arrested. The following are quotes from the written confession that was read in court:

Poaches went on to say, "I had to put her some place. Company was coming, so I put her under the bed."

The body of Figueroa and her unborn baby stayed under the bed while Poaches' current girlfriend visited him for about an hour.

Police said Poaches also told them he put Figueroa's body in plastic bags and then in his trunk. He called a friend to help him dispose of her body in Chester.

"We took her to where she was found and left her in the weeds," Poaches said in his confession.
http://www.nbc10.com/news/4921780/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=news

 

[mysteriew]

As La'Toyia Figueroa's family listened in horror and in grief yesterday, a detective read aloud the alleged confession of Stephen Poaches - who police say admitted using both hands to strangle the pregnant woman.

Yet Poaches told Boyle that he was not a murderer, the detective testified at the preliminary hearing for the 25-year-old West Philadelphia man.

"I feel terrible for the act I committed. My regrets go out to the Figueroa family... and all who were hurt in this ordeal.

"I don't feel I am a murderer; this was not premeditated," Boyle said Poaches told him.

After listening to Boyle's testimony, Municipal Court Judge Wendy L. Pew ordered that Poaches stand trial on two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Figueroa and their unborn child.

Nearly three dozen of Figueroa's family members and friends, who openly wept in the courtroom as Boyle testified, jumped up and applauded when Pew announced her ruling. City Councilman Juan F. Ramos, a cousin of the Figueroas', sat in the front row with his arm around her father, Melvin Figueroa.

Poaches showed no emotion yesterday and stared straight ahead, with his hands in his lap, as Boyle testified.

Poaches' attorney, Michael Coard, argued that his client should stand trial on lesser charges of third-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter because the killing was not intentional and occurred out of rage and anger.

The detective testified that Poaches feared that the man who allegedly helped him dump the body - whom Poaches identified only as "Javar" - might talk to police.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/...philadelphia_county/philadelphia/12528787.htm

 

[Marisa714]

“I accidentally let the temper get the best of me,” Poaches told detectives, according to the statement read at his preliminary hearing. “I squeezed a little too long, resulting in her death.”

This guy makes me want to puke! If he didn't mean to kill her why was he choking her? I will never understand how a human being (if you can call him that) could ever take anothers life, this man has no soul.

“I feel terrible for the act I committed,” Poaches said in the statement, in which he also apologized to Figueroa’s family. “I don’t feel I am a murderer. This was not premeditated.”

To me it really sounds like he has justified this in his own sick mind. I'm sorry to go off like this, I am so disgusted by this. Her poor family, he has taken life from everybody who loved her too, what a greedy, evil man!

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Poaches went on to say, "I had to put her some place. Company was coming, so I put her under the bed."

The body of Figueroa and her unborn baby stayed under the bed while Poaches' current girlfriend visited him for about an hour.

OMG, I have no words for this. What a disgusting low-life he is.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Jury selection begins today for the trial against Steven Poaches. I haven't found a news link yet.

 

[luthersmama]

The trial is underway. This guy is such a loser.

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/15757869.htm

 

[IdahoMom]

Picture of LaToyia. Many of the links on this thread have expired.

:angel:

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Thanks for giving us an updated link with a picture of LaToyia, IdahoMom.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

LaToyia's dad is often in the news, helping others searching for their loved ones. He's really been using this tragedy to reach out to others. God bless him.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Life in prison without parole:

Pa. Man Guilty of Killing Pregnant Lover

... In a nonjury trial, Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina found Stephen Poaches, 27, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of LaToyia Figueroa and her fetus...

Poaches' defense attorney ... argued at trial that his client should be convicted only of voluntary manslaughter ... Coard has said Poaches acted out of "sudden and intense passion" and not "malice, ill will, or a hardness of heart."

In a statement to police, Poaches allegedly said he started choking Figueroa after she struck him in the face and shoulder during an argument in his West Philadelphia apartment on July 18, 2005. He had accompanied his girlfriend to a medical checkup hours before.

"I kind of freaked out when she stopped hitting," he said, according to police. "She was dead. That was it..."

Poaches waived his right to appeal in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty. He was given an automatic life sentence with no parole.

 

[Beyond Belief]

Greta's going to talk about this in a few minutes.

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Greta's going to talk about this in a few minutes.

Thanks for the heads-up! I had to turn Greta off a few minutes ago because my little one is still up and insisting on watching Legends of the Hidden Temple.

 

[mum33004]

Pa. Man Guilty of Killing Pregnant Lover

Tue Oct 17, 4:48 PMUPDATED 4 HOURS 2 MINUTES AGO

PHILADELPHIA - A man who authorities say strangled his pregnant girlfriend because she would not get an abortion was convicted Tuesday of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Stephen Poaches, 27, was found guilty after a non-jury trial in the slayings of 24-year-old LaToyia Figueroa and the fetus she was carrying. He gave up his right to appeal, and prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.

"He did not want this child to be born," prosecutor Carlos Vega said.

Figueroa had been missing for more than a month when a detective acting on a tip followed Poaches to a parking lot where he had hidden her body. He was apparently trying to move the body.

Poaches told police that he choked Figueroa after she struck him in the face and shoulder during an argument in his apartment. Poaches' lawyer argued that he should be convicted only of voluntary manslaughter.

DIDN'T THIS IDIOT EVER HEAR OF BIRTH CONTROL? :furious:

 

[Opie]

Well, at least he won't be able to do this again.

 

[bakerprune64]

What a freakin loser, I guess he wasn't thinking with the head on his shoulders when he got her pregnant. It is not only the woman's responsibility. An unfortunate loss of two lives.

 

[montana_16]

I'm glad this guy at least got life without parole. He should have got the death penalty though.
I followed this case on the Missing forum and it was not a result of a fight they had. He wanted this lovely girl dead and spoke of it before and had her attacked once before he killed her. Totally premeditated in my opinion.

 

[Bobbisangel]

LaToyia's dad is often in the news, helping others searching for their loved ones. He's really been using this tragedy to reach out to others. God bless him.

Well bless his heart. I remember when LaToyia went missing and this poor dad just hunted and hunted for his daughter. I'm glad that this man pled guilty and that there was no jury and everything happened so quickly. Now LaToyia can rest in peace.

That is wonderful that her dad is now helping others who have walked in his shoes. He's a good man.