Emmanuel Dewayne Coble, a 27-year-old Naval Officer from Virginia, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Raquiah Paulette King. The tragic killing occurred after King refused to undergo an abortion that Coble had demanded.
According to WTVR, Navy Lt. Junior Grade Emmanuel Dewayne Coble received his life sentence on Friday, July 18, 2025, for the 2022 murder of King. In April 2025, a jury found him guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, use of a firearm during a murder, killing a pregnant woman, first-degree killing of a fetus, and concealing or transporting a body.
Hanover County Commonwealth Attorney Mackenzie Babichenko commented on the sentence, saying, “The judge approached this case with the utmost seriousness. He carefully weighed all the evidence and the impact of the crime, making it clear that the defendant’s actions were inexcusable and unacceptable, warranting a life sentence.” Babichenko added, “Every year of the sentence is justified given the brutal nature of the crime and the defendant’s efforts to hide it.”
The incident occurred on July 21, 2022, when deputies responded to a report of a body found near the intersection of Winns Church Road and Greenwood Road. The victim was identified as Raquiah Paulette King. Coble was arrested on August 11, 2022, and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
During his trial, Coble admitted to shooting King during an altercation and later disposing of her body in the woods in Hanover County. However, he claimed her death was accidental. Prosecutors presented evidence contradicting his claim, showing that King had refused to terminate her pregnancy before her death.
The case has deeply impacted the community, and justice has been served with Coble’s sentencing.
Leave a Reply