A 27-year-old Virginia Naval Officer, Emmanuel Dewayne Coble, will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Raquiah Paulette King. Reportedly, Coble killed King after she refused to get an abortion he had requested.
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As reported by WTVR, Navy Lt. Junior Grade Emmanuel Dewayne Coble was sentenced to life in prison on Friday, July 18, for the 2022 murder of King. In April 2025, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in commission of murder, murder of a pregnant woman, first-degree killing of a fetus, and concealing or transporting a body, as per the outlet.
“I think the judge took this case very seriously,” Hanover County Commonwealth Attorney Mackenzie Babichenko told WTVR. “He heard all of the evidence, all of the impact and he wanted to make it very clear that this was inexcusable unacceptable and that the defendant would be staying in prison forever.”
“I believe that every year was earned by the defendant given the brutality and the heinous nature of his acts as well as the extensive amount of efforts he put into covering it up or at least trying to cover it up.”
Murderer
According to a 2022 release issued by the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on July 21, 2022. Deputies responded to the intersection of Winns Church Road and Greenwood Road. They had received a report of a body found on the side of the roadway.
The victim was identified as Raquiah Paulette King. Weeks later, on August 11, 2022, Emmanuel Dewayne Coble was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
During his trial, as reported by WTVR, Coble admitted to fatally shooting King during a fight. He then would transport her body and dump it in the woods in Hanover County, Virginia. Coble, however, claimed her death was accidental.
Pregnancy
The prosecutors, however, presented evidence during the trial that contradicted his claim. The said evidence showed that King, before her death, told her mother that she was fearful of Coble. The Naval Officer wanted her to get an abortion, as she was pregnant at the time.
However, King wanted to continue her pregnancy, and prosecutors showed evidence that she sought medical care to do so. Furthermore, King told her mother that, should anything happen to her, Coble was the one responsible.
As reported by WSVN, Coble got to pay for an abortion clinic on July 20. However, once inside, Raquiah refused to get the procedure. Her last sext was sent to Coble at around 11:40 p.m. Her naked body was then found on the side of a roadway.
During his trial, Coble stated that he believed police and attorneys were conspiring against him and chose to represent himself. He got to select the jury, gave opening statements, and even cross-examine witnesses.
To the judge and the prosecution, Coble was attempting to manipulate the court and further delay his trial.
With Coble behind bars, King’s family expressed their gratitude to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
“She was a ray of sunlight she was fun, beautiful courageous and strong,” Gregory King, Raquiah’s brother, said. “I’m just grateful for everything.”