Slain Pa. woman's ex-boyfriend arrested
By DAN ROBRISH
Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Police have recovered the remains of a missing pregnant woman and arrested the father of the unborn child in the death, authorities announced Saturday.
The suspect, Stephen Poaches, is a former boyfriend of 24-year-old LaToyia Figueroa, who has been missing for a month.
District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham said Poaches, 25, would be charged with two counts of murder and related offenses for the deaths of Figueroa and her fetus.
Authorities did not provide a motive or say what led them to suspect Poaches. Poaches' lawyer, Michael Coard, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
When Poaches was arrested in nearby Chester, police said he was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a pistol.
LaToyia Figueroa's father, Melvin Figueroa, said he was relieved that an arrest had been made.
"Now she can rest in peace," he said. "All I want is justice with that peace."
Figueroa, who was five months' pregnant when she disappeared and already the mother of a young girl, was last seen on the afternoon of July 18 in West Philadelphia.
The remains were recovered in a grassy, partially wooded lot near homes and a road in Chester. The area was cordoned off by yellow police tape Saturday morning.
A few dozen members of the Figueroa family and supporters arrived at the scene shortly after daybreak, clustering close to the police tape and embracing each other.
"Our hearts are broken ... we just want to spend some time here and take a look at this place where LaToyia unfairly was murdered," said a cousin of Figueroa, Philadelphia City Councilman Juan Ramos.
Relatives and friends, who have papered the city with flyers and held large-scale searches for any sign of Figueroa, had just marked the one-month anniversary of her disappearance. A reward fund for information had reached $100,000.
This is a shame and just think that the authorities haven't found a missing black person alive.
I see it's covered. Delete this post.
^^ you just cant be decent towards anyone can you? Even the ****... :x
Amber, don't be too mad. Big daddy's here for ya.
This is tragic though. This reminds me of what happened to a relative some years back...
R.I.P Angie....