Florida Man Who Killed Pregnant Woman Who Refused Abortion Has Hearing

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 5, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Florida Man Who Killed Pregnant Woman Who Refused Abortion Has Hearing

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 5
, 2010

Pensacola, FL (LifeNews.com) — A Florida Navy man charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a pregnant woman who refused his request for an abortion has been denied lower bail in a court hearing. Zachary Littleton, a 25-year-old petty officer third class is accused of killing Samira Watkins, 25, because she refused his request to get an abortion.

The case has a similar ring to it as it reminds officials of the killing death of Laci Peterson and her unborn child Conner.

Littleton has been indicted on a first-degree premeditated murder charge.

Circuit Judge Terry Terrell in January set Littleton’s bond at $500,000, but, according to the Pensacola newspaper, denied reducing his bond.

According to the Pensacola News-Journal, Watkins was last seen alive by her family on October 25 when she left her grandmother’s home. Officials say they believe Watkins went to see Littleton, who then took her life.

Littleton is married and has another child but was reportedly having an affair with Watkins, whom he got pregnant. Wanting to keep the pregnancy a secret, Littleton asked Watkins to get an abortion, but she refused.

Watkins’ body was discovered by two men riding a personal watercraft in Bayou Grande on November 3. They found her body washed ashore in luggage near a scenic overlook. The paper did not indicate how far along in pregnancy Watkins’ baby was at the time of their death.

Assistant Public Defender Jerome Smiley told the newspaper today that he thinks prosecutors have a case that is “weak at best” and claimed there is no fingerprint or DNA evidence linking Littleton to Watkins and the crime.

“This case is falling apart,” he said.

Smiley also told the newspaper there are inconsistencies in testimony from witnesses.

However, Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen presented new evidence at the bail hearing that Littleton’s DNA was recovered from Watkins’ vehicle.

“The state’s argument got stronger based on the DNA evidence in the case,” Jensen said. “Just because he cannot make bond doesn’t make it unreasonable based on the circumstances in this case.”

The killing of pregnant women who refuse abortions or attempts to force them to have abortions using certain drugs is becoming commonplace.

LifeNews.com reported on a Utah man who formerly lived in western Colorado who stands accused of giving his pregnant girlfriend the second part of the two-part abortion drug in an attempt to force her to have an abortion.

In this case, 31-year-old Jared Merril Ahlstrom appeared in Mesa County District Court on Tuesday where he faces a felony charge of unlawful termination of pregnancy. The drug eventually caused a miscarriage and the death of the unborn child.

In December, a Seattle-area man found himself in police custody after allegedly killing his girlfriend and their infant daughter after the woman refused his request to get an abortion.

Daniel Thomas Hicks is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jennifer "J" Morgan and 13-month-old Ema Morgan.

Hicks was charged after he was apprehended following the discovery of the bodies by Morgan’s mother and cooperation with other relatives who aided them in locating Hicks.

Legal papers the Times obtained say Hicks wanted Morgan to have an abortion and claimed she "was just trying to trap him with the pregnancy." They say Hicks made several threats about killing Morgan and himself.

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