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

[lisafremont]

LaToyia's mother was killed when the girl was 4 and she was taken in by rellies who raised her. It's unbelievably sad.

 

[TisHerself]

WASHINGTON - February 27, 2005 - Murder is a surprisingly common cause of death among pregnant women in the United States, US government researchers reported on Wednesday.
http://www.jrrobertssecurity.com/security-news/security-crime-news0043.htm

No one said it was not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was your derogatory portrayal of young girls and that they somehow were responsible for their own murders. "Geez I'm Pregnant Routine" to trap some unsuspecting innocent young guy. That was offensive.

 

[Lauren]

What a sad and tragic case.

 

[mysteriew]

As he fights the anguish of his daughter's slaying, La'Toyia Figueroa's father is preparing for yet another heartbreak - breaking the news to her 7-year-old daughter.

"I have to tell my granddaughter that her mommy is not coming home, ever," he tearfully told a crowd of about 200 at a memorial service for his daughter Sunday.

Standing outside St. Peter the Apostle R.C. Church after the service Sunday, Figueroa said he would like Poaches to be executed if convicted, but retracted the wish a moment later.

"It's hard for me, the way she was found," he said. "I will accept whatever comes to be, but I want God to punish him for taking two lives. He took my daughter and a granddaughter that I will never see."

Authorities were quiet on why Poaches was being watched that night. Melvin Figueroa said he was told they were tipped off by a friend whom Poaches asked to help him move the body.

"He told his friend he needed a body bag, and instead of helping him out the friend went to police," Figueroa said.

The infant girl she was carrying was to be named Nyla.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/nation/12441629.htm

 

[KatherineQ]

I just get more and more disgusted about this case. That man Poaches is soulless.

Can you imagine, killing someone and not even thinking you have to FAKE that you care? What incredible balls he has.

To me, that's what made me think he didn't have anything to do with it - he so clearly didn't care one whit what happened to her, and he didn't care who knew he felt that way. Calling in that radio station, and saying he just wished she'd "pop up" so everyone would get off his back.

How in the blazes was this jerk raised, that he didn't even think he needed to FAKE that he cared about her, he could just kill her and then tell the world he wouldn't look for her and he didn't love her. And he could just go on living as before.

Soulless. I hope his "first baby mama" as he so endearingly calls her, got a big eyeful of what he's about and changes her idiot attitude too.

 

[OMGosh05]

I cannot believe your comment here!! Guys have just as much responsibility as the girls. You're telling your son not to get trapped ????? Tell him to keep his you know what in his pants then!!!!!

:clap:

 

[jannuncutt]

Someplace out there needs to start teaching these girls to be able "to see" what these worthless guys are really like before they get so involved with them.
The new fabs to just get pregnant by whomever they feel like is causing way too many problems. There is such a thing as birth control pills, so the old "geez, i'm pregnant routine" is nothing but lies. I can see a man getting angry about being obligated for 18 yrs of child support. I consider this entrapment right along with out right stealing. Its so clear that these circumstances are leading to murder. I just wish someone could make these young women understand to be more cautious and try the good old fashion way. Choose your guy, know him well, and plan your family together.

I have a 19yr old who works with me. I know he plans on being single for a long time. I have preached to him for the past year about not letting himself get trapped. His current girlfriend, who is great company, is not someone he wants for the rest of his life. He has discussed the birth control pills with her mother. I love this kid, he listened. A pregnant girl would ruin his life.

...........so, are you implying that she is responsibile for her death? Are you saying that it is her fault that she was murdered?

 

[Marisa714]

Wow, your statements really are beyond belief.

It's statements like these "I have preached to him for the past year about not letting himself get trapped." that encourage men like Scott Peterson, that it is OK to kill ... because the way you preach it, men are the victims, women are the leeches.

"A pregnant girl would ruin his life" His life? WHAT ABOUT HER LIFE? From the sounds of it, you think his life is somehow superior to hers?

"I can see a man getting angry about being obligated for 18 yrs of child support." I can't! Unless the sob was tied, gagged, raped.. I seriously and earnestly can't.

"I consider this entrapment right along with out right stealing." :boohoo:

"There is such a thing as birth control pills" There is such a thing as condoms.

Men are not babies! They are not victims! It takes two to tango, hun! :doh:

You couldn't have said it better! I agree 100% w/your post.

 

[mysteriew]

Good story about police theory on the events of the murder and what led up to the finding of the body and why they were watching Poaches. (It won't let me copy/paste, LOL).
http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-30/112472426870490.xml&storylist=penn

 

[mysteriew]

A Philadelphia man accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend has said far more about his side of the story than police have said about theirs.
http://www.whptv.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=80237454-D597-4A94-95D1-C914BEB0EA79

 

[Amraann]

I am locking this until the mod can review it it is quickly becoming just a back and forth attack upon each other and not about the topic of LaToya being found.
__________________________________________________________________

Editted to explain what actions have been taken..

It is entirely inappropriate to have this discussion on a thread about LaToya being found.
I have taken the majority of the posts and moved them to the parking lot:
You may continue this aspect of this discussion at this link.

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=776046#post776046

A few posts were deleted alltogether as they did not add to either discussion just attacked a poster.

Thank you

 

[OneMADmomma]

that the girlfriend was involved or even comitted the actual murder herself and Poache is covering for her? That is my theory.

Didn't Latoya and the GF have a fight before?
We all know (I'm assuming) how off kilter a pregnant woman's balance is. It wouldn't be too hard to overpower a pregnant woman either. I know the other girl is preggers too, but I wonder how far along. Is the GF the same size, smaller or larger than Latoya? Does anyone know anything at all about the GF? Was she at the apartment when Latoya & Poache stopped by after the appt.? That is even if they stopped by. Strangulation was the cause of death. The GF could have done that. Maybe even accidentally, in a fit of rage...?
Maybe then Poache covered for her since he knew he would be implicated too. I also think maybe he didn't want his child, the one he considers his child (w/GF), to be born in jail or raised w/out a mom. Neighbors had called them a nice couple, so maybe he decided if one of them had to take the fall, it would be him. Just specualting here...I dunno, it's all very confusing. Poache is now insinuating that Latoya left his apt. to go see the other child's (her 7 year old) father. Maybe he is implicating him, but Poache was found w/the body, so he doesn't make sense...:waitasec:

Also, I think w/the find of the other decomposing body being found right before Latoya's was, he got scared thinking that the smell would also attract attention to Latoya...he planned to move her to a more permanent, harder to spot location.
My question is who'd he do it to protect...him or his GF?
Any thoughts anyone?

 

[jannuncutt]

that the girlfriend was involved or even comitted the actual murder herself and Poache is covering for her? That is my theory.

Didn't Latoya and the GF have a fight before?
We all know (I'm assuming) how off kilter a pregnant woman's balance is. It wouldn't be too hard to overpower a pregnant woman either. I know the other girl is preggers too, but I wonder how far along. Is the GF the same size, smaller or larger than Latoya? Does anyone know anything at all about the GF? Was she at the apartment when Latoya & Poache stopped by after the appt.? That is even if they stopped by. Strangulation was the cause of death. The GF could have done that. Maybe even accidentally, in a fit of rage...?
Maybe then Poache covered for her since he knew he would be implicated too. I also think maybe he didn't want his child, the one he considers his child (w/GF), to be born in jail or raised w/out a mom. Neighbors had called them a nice couple, so maybe he decided if one of them had to take the fall, it would be him. Just specualting here...I dunno, it's all very confusing. Poache is now insinuating that Latoya left his apt. to go see the other child's (her 7 year old) father. Maybe he is implicating him, but Poache was found w/the body, so he doesn't make sense...:waitasec:

Also, I think w/the find of the other decomposing body being found right before Latoya's was, he got scared thinking that the smell would also attract attention to Latoya...he planned to move her to a more permanent, harder to spot location.
My question is who'd he do it to protect...him or his GF?
Any thoughts anyone?

It is my understanding that Latoyia was not attacked by the girlfriend (although, maybe on her behalf). The girlfriend was further along in her pregnancy than Latoyia, and delivered before Latoyia went missing. I like your theory as to why the boyfriend may have decided to move Latoyia's body.

 

[OneMADmomma]

It is my understanding that Latoyia was not attacked by the girlfriend (although, maybe on her behalf). The girlfriend was further along in her pregnancy than Latoyia, and delivered before Latoyia went missing. I like your theory as to why the boyfriend may have decided to move Latoyia's body.

Well, that blows that theory! Glad no one betted me. Thanks for the info.
I was so sure it was a crime of passion and raging pregnancy hormones between the two women. But you are right...it may have been on her behalf. Still... how anyone could do such a thing, is beyond me. I hope her family finds comfort and I'm sending my prayers up to sooth her little girl, the 7 year old. How awful for her to grow up and find out that both her mother & grandmother were murdered. Needless to say, she won't have much faith in the world...sad

 

[Beyond Belief]

Greta doing some good reporting tonight.

Ex boyfriend arrested two counts of murder. I hope I got that right.

 

[mysteriew]

Stephen Poaches' girlfriend had recently given birth to his baby when he accompanied a second woman carrying his child on a prenatal visit.

LaToyia Figueroa, 24, was excited about her pregnancy, even as she questioned her stormy two-year relationship with Poaches, friends said.

Hours after the July 18 doctor's visit, Figueroa disappeared.

On Monday, Philadelphia police said that Poaches had strangled her that day at the home he shared with the other woman, then dumped her body amid dense brush near a railroad track about 10 miles away.

Poaches was arrested early Saturday as he tried to move the body from the shallow grave in Chester, police said. Detectives, tipped off by an informant, were following him.

Soon after Figueroa disappeared, cadaver dogs sniffing Poaches' seized sedan indicated a strong hit near the trunk, Fox said.

Michael Coard, Poaches' lawyer, declined comment on the arrest. Poaches was arraigned Monday on two counts of murder, one each for Figueroa and the five-month-old fetus.

Police declined to offer a possible motive, except to say the pair apparently argued after the doctor's visit. The victim's father said he had advised his daughter to break up with Poaches.

In the wake of Figueroa's death, researchers are asking anew if women become more vulnerable to violence when they become pregnant.

Figueroa worked full-time at a Center City restaurant, rarely missing a day, even with the pregnancy, a manager said. Her father and others said she had also been diagnosed with cancer, but said the pregnancy was going well.

But work friends sensed the relationship was a problem.
http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/p...124756365200230.xml&storylist=penn&thispage=2

 

[mysteriew]

Stephen Poaches strangled La'Toyia Figueroa in his West Philadelphia apartment on July 18, put her body in plastic bags, loaded it into the trunk of his car, and disposed of it in Chester late that night, police said Monday.

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector of Detectives Joseph Fox told a news conference Monday that Poaches had given a statement in the case, the contents of which Fox refused to discuss.

But a top police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Poaches had confessed to the killing. In the statement, according to the source, Poaches said that the crime occurred during an argument and that he temporarily hid Figueroa's body under a bed.

Philadelphia police, who had said little about the case since Poaches' arrest early Saturday, on Monday provided the outlines of how they came to arrest him.

Fox said that a man claiming to have information about Figueroa's death contacted Detective Greg Singleton in Southwest Detectives on Wednesday or Thursday. The man, whom Fox did not name, was brought to Homicide Unit headquarters for questioning.

By Friday, police had become sufficiently convinced of the value of what the man was telling them that they called the Citizens Crime Commission of Delaware Valley on his behalf to make him eligible for the $100,000 reward being offered in the Figueroa case.

Police said the informant had been unaware of the existence of a reward.

Not knowing that the man was cooperating with police, Poaches asked him to try to find a body bag and a van for $300 so that they could move Figueroa's remains, police said. The informant relayed the request to police, who supplied both the bag and the van - equipped with a global positioning system for easy tracking.

According to police, the informant brought the van to Poaches, who put some shovels in the back to use to bury the body.

With the informant following in the van, Poaches then drove his car from West Philadelphia to a wooded area along railroad tracks near Fourth and Palmer Streets in Chester - and to the body, police said.

Police, who had been following both vehicles, arrested Poaches, who had on a bulletproof vest and was carrying a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/12448643.htm

 

[angelmom]

Damn, I can't think of a single friend I could ask to help me move a body. This guy must be a real prize.

This poor little girl who has to grow up without her momma, just as LaToyia always feared. I'm glad the guy has confessed/was caught red-handed so it doesn't turn into another Peterson case. I guess there is no doubt he will taste justice, instead of the agonizing worrying and waiting the Rochas had to go through to see if DRIP would be convicted.

You just know if he hadn't been caught the way he was, there always would have been some doubt about the other murders in the same area. I wonder what those are about...have any been solved???

 

[SewingDeb]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/4878445/detail.html

Police confirmed information from NBC 10 sources Tuesday, saying that Poaches confessed to the killing.

Monday afternoon, Philadelphia police searched Poaches' Cobbs Creek home, and only NBC 10 News was there as police tore up linoleum from the house and carried it away. They also took out more possible evidence in a small paper bag. The material is headed for a forensic lab to be examined.

More than a month after the 24-year-old woman disappeared, Figueroa's body was found Saturday in a wooded area beside the train tracks in Chester, Pa.

Police have confirmed that a trio of men knew details about Latoyia's slaying -- Poaches, an informant and the man who helped leave her body in the woods.

 

[angelmom]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/4878445/detail.html

Police have confirmed that a trio of men knew details about Latoyia's slaying -- Poaches, an informant and the man who helped leave her body in the woods.

Bastards. I hope they are all charged.