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'{{Short description|2005 murder of an American woman of Hispanic and Black descent}} {{Infobox person | name = LaToyia Figueroa | birth_date = January 26, 1981 | disappeared_date = July 18, 2005 | death_date = August 2005 (age 24) | death_cause = Strangulation | body_discovered = [[Chester, Pennsylvania|Chester]], [[Pennsylvania]] | partner = Stephen Poaches | children = 1 daughter & 1 unborn child - was five months pregnant at death }} '''LaToyia Figueroa''' (January 26, 1981 &ndash; August 2005) was an American woman of [[African-American]] and [[Hispanic]] descent who was murdered in 2005. Figueroa, who was five months pregnant at the time, was reported missing on July 18, 2005 after she failed to show up to work. She was later found strangled to death after being featured on ''[[America's Most Wanted]]''.<ref>[http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=33641 LaToyia Figueroa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804103234/http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/brief.cfm?id=33641 |date=2007-08-04 }}. America's Most Wanted, July / August 2005</ref> Police discovered Figueroa's remains in a grassy, partially wooded lot in [[Chester, Pennsylvania]], located 13 miles south of [[Philadelphia]]. They arrested Stephen Poaches, the father of her unborn child, on August 20, more than a month after she was reported missing.<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502EED7103EF932A1575BC0A9639C8B63&scp=2&sq=latoyia+figueroa&st=nyt Missing Philadelphia Woman Is Found Dead]</ref> On October 17, 2006, Poaches was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Figueroa and her unborn child.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4669083 |title=Poaches Convicted of Figueroa Murders |access-date=2006-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114141644/http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4669083 |archive-date=2007-11-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/17/girlfriend.killed.ap/index.html Man guilty of murdering girlfriend who refused abortion]</ref> ==Disappearance == On July 18, 2005, 24 years old and five months pregnant, LaToyia went to a [[Prenatal care in the United States|prenatal checkup]] with the father of her unborn child, 25 year old Stephen Poaches. Afterward they went to his apartment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Latoyia Figueroa (1981-2005) - Find A Grave...|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16154680/latoyia-figueroa|access-date=2020-08-09|website=www.findagrave.com|language=en}}</ref> Poaches later stated that LaToyia had left his home "peaceably" around 5pm however, LaToyia did not pick up her 7-year-old daughter that evening nor did she show up for her shift at the restaurant where she worked.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Crime Watch|url=https://people.com/archive/crime-watch-vol-64-no-8/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN}}</ref> After she was reported missing, Poaches told police that he knew nothing about LaToyia's disappearance and did not participate in any search efforts. Poaches then called a radio station to defend himself against suspicion.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-08-21|title=Pregnant woman’s body found; suspect arrested|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/pregnant-womans-body-found-suspect-arrested/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US}}</ref> == Investigation == In the weeks following her disappearance, detectives searched Poaches's home and car and found no evidence of a crime. Police also did not find any evidence of credit card use or cellphone activity by Latoyia and thus she was categorized by police officials as a missing person.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Crime Watch|url=https://people.com/archive/crime-watch-vol-64-no-8/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN}}</ref> Her father, Melvin Figueroa organized on his own, search teams throughout the city for weeks following her disappearance.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-08-25|title=Tip ends search|url=https://southphillyreview.com/2005/08/25/tip-ends-search/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=South Philly Review|language=en-US}}</ref> As relatives and friends papered the city with flyers, a reward for information reached $100,000 which included donations from the restaurant where she worked and Philadelphia rapper, [[Beanie Sigel]] .<ref>{{Cite web|last= |first= |date=2005-08-21|title=Missing Philadelphia Woman Found Dead|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-21-na-briefs21.2-story.html|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> It was reported that police and the media took almost two weeks to focus any meaningful attention to her case prior to TV host [[Nancy Grace]] began to do nationally televised reporting on her disappearance.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-06-02|title=Why TV News Ignores Transgender Murder Victims|url=http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/06/02/why-tv-news-ignores-transgender-murder-victims|access-date=2020-08-09|website=www.advocate.com|language=en}}</ref> Well over a month after her disappearance, police detectives received a tip from an acquaintance of Poaches stating that he had contacted them the evening prior asking to borrow a truck and inquiring about a [[body bag]]. Police then followed Poaches from his home to a grassy, partially wooded lot in Chester, 13 miles outside of [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pregnant Woman Found Dead|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pregnant-woman-found-dead-20-08-2005/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US}}</ref> He was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a gun. There police discovered LaToyia's remains.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-08-21|title=Pregnant woman’s body found; suspect arrested|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/pregnant-womans-body-found-suspect-arrested/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-08-25|title=Tip ends search|url=https://southphillyreview.com/2005/08/25/tip-ends-search/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=South Philly Review|language=en-US}}</ref> Poaches was arrested and a judge ruled that prosecutors had enough evidence to try him on 2 counts of 1st degree murder for Latoyia and their unborn child. Police stated that Poaches had strangled Latoyia hours after returning from the pre-natal appointment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-03-25|title=Man to Stand Trial in Murder of Pregnant Woman|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/man-to-stand-trial-in-murder-of-pregnant-woman|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Associated Press|language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2010 Stephen Poaches, [[Pennsylvania Department of Corrections]] #GV2311, is located in the [[State Correctional Institution – Houtzdale]].<ref>"[http://inmatelocator.cor.state.pa.us/inmatelocatorweb/ Information About Inmate: GV2311 as of 12/1/2010 3:35:02 PM] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210023932/http://inmatelocator.cor.state.pa.us/inmatelocatorweb/ |date=2014-12-10 }}." [[Pennsylvania Department of Corrections]]. Retrieved on December 1, 2010.</ref> == Response == Figueroa's family stated that the lack of media coverage of her disappearance only brought more tragedy to an already troubled search. Figueroa's mother, Ann Taylor, was murdered when LaToyia was a [[toddler]]. Figueroa had a seven-year-old daughter. Joseph Taylor, Figueroa's uncle and family spokesman, has actively criticized the media. [[America's Most Wanted]] and the Philadelphia Citizen Crime Commission teamed up with police to aid in the search. A $100,000 reward was funded by rap stars [[Beanie Sigel]] (while in a prison) and Damon Dash, Beneficial Bank, T.G.I. Fridays, local philanthropists Joe Mammanaand, Kal Rudman, and Internet bloggers to help the family in the search for LaToyia.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1510706/20050930/story.jhtml Beanie Sigel Signing With G-Unit? - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,164599,00.html Reward for Missing Mom up to $100G]</ref> ===Media coverage controversy=== {{see also|Missing white woman syndrome}} The disappearance of Figueroa has spawned controversy about media coverage of missing people and how cases get national attention, with the terms "[[Missing white woman syndrome|Missing White Women Syndrome]]." [[PBS]] journalist [[Gwen Ifill]] referred to the phenomenon as "The Missing White Woman Syndrome" at the Unity Convention of Journalists in 2004 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://miamoody.blogspot.com/2011/09/invisible-damsels-black-and-mainstream.html |title=Mia's Musings: Invisible Damsels: Black and Mainstream Media's Framing of Missing Black and White Women in the Mid-2000s |publisher=Miamoody.blogspot.com |date= |accessdate=2014-04-05}}</ref> This phrase was invoked by Professor of American Studies [[Sheri L. Parks]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amst.umd.edu/People/parks.htm/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222063909/http://www.amst.umd.edu/People/parks.htm |archive-date=2014-02-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> on March 13, 2006 during an interview with American news reporter, [[Anderson Cooper]] to describe a phenomenon characterized by critics as a short and cynical equation: Pretty, white damsels in distress draw viewers; missing women who are black, Latino, Asian, old, fat, or ugly do not. Critics accused major news outlets of ignoring Figueroa's disappearance to focus on cases involving young, usually attractive, [[whites|white]] women like [[Laci Peterson]] who was also pregnant when she was reported missing.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/03/diagnosing-missing-white-woman.html/ ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031164120/http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/03/diagnosing-missing-white-woman.html/ |date=October 31, 2013 }}</ref> Several internet [[bloggers]] began writing about the inadequate coverage cable news networks gave to missing people of color and pressured them to give equal coverage of non-white young American women like [[Disappearance of Natalee Holloway|Natalee Holloway]] and [[Runaway bride case|Jennifer Wilbanks]]; they succeeded in gaining attention and Figueroa's case received coverage by major news outlets such as [[CNN]], [[MSNBC]], and [[Fox News Channel]]. Conservative blogger [[Michelle Malkin]], referred to this phenomenon as "Pretty Girl Syndrome" and said, "I'm embarrassed that there's so much air time absorbed by the latest missing-girl story."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2005/08/a-misguided-focus/ |title=A misguided focus |publisher=The Cavalier Daily |date=2005-08-04 |accessdate=2014-04-05}}</ref> The Figueroa case bears a similarity to the case of Laci Peterson, who was found dead and whose husband, [[Scott Peterson (convicted murderer)|Scott]], was found guilty of her murder. The Peterson case was covered heavily throughout 2004 and led to [[consensus|public consensus]] that Scott Peterson was guilty of the murder. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Portal|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania|Biography}} *{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109172059/http://www.tatteredcoat.com/archives/2005/07/28/latoyia-figueroa-the-philly-blogosphere-makes-good |date=January 9, 2006 |title=Tattered Coat Blogosphere }} *[http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/07/27/Philadelphia.missing/index.html CNN coverage of Latoyia] *[https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-07-28-missing-woman_x.htm USA Today Coverage of LaToyia] *[http://www.pointsincase.com/nathan/2005/07/missing-someone.html Website critical of media coverage of missing people] *[http://www.politicsPhilly.com/node/search/figueroa PoliticsPhilly.com Reports] {{DEFAULTSORT:Figueroa, LaToyia}} [[Category:2005 murders in the United States]] [[Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent]] [[Category:People from Philadelphia]] [[Category:People murdered in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Murdered African-American people]] [[Category:Deaths by strangulation in the United States]] [[Category:2005 in Pennsylvania]]'