References: Jon Gambrell. "WWU Student Arrested for Destroying Anti-Abortion Display." The Bellingham Herald, May 3, 2006; Steven Ertelt. "Pro-Abortion Vandalism Continues as Western Washington U Student Arrested." LifeNews.com, May 3, 2006.

Kelso

Assault and Death Threat

       On July 9, 2003, Rigoberto Lopez Lopez savagely beat his girlfriend, who was four months pregnant with his child, inflicting severe injuries on her.
       The victim told police that Lopez Lopez grabbed her hair, twisted her neck and punched her in the face, chest and back. He threatened to kill her, threw her to the floor, and stood on one of her arms as he kicked her left shoulder.
       Lopez Lopez dislocated his girlfriend's shoulder and fractured her scapula (shoulder blade) during the beating.
       Lopez Lopez was arrested, charged with second-degree assault, and was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Reference:  Amy M.E. Fischer. "Man Arrested in Assault on Pregnant Girlfriend." The Daily News, July 13, 2003.

Oak Harbor

Second-Degree Murder

       James L. Sanders and 15-year-old Elaine Sepulveda were expecting a baby, and Sanders was not at all happy about it. On the night of November 6, 2004, he met with her "to talk about it." There was apparently a disagreement over Elaine's pregnancy, because Sanders, as he confessed to police, hit her in the head and then could not revive her. Then he buried her body in the compost pile behind his grandfather's home in Oak Harbor.
       Sanders had wanted Elaine to have an abortion, but she had repeatedly refused to kill her preborn child. Jacki Madison, Elain'e best friend, said that "I don't think he was ready for the child and she was, and it was a rift that happened between them."
       Sanders pled not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder.

Reference:  April Zepeda. "Remains Still Not Identified as Missing Teen." KOMO Television 4 News [Seattle-Tacoma], January 15, 2005; Leslie Knopp. "Man Pleads Not Guilty to Girlfriend's Murder." KOMO Television 4 News [Seattle-Tacoma], January 28, 2005.

Seattle

Murder, Rape, Torture, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Forgery and Theft [Bremerton]

       On September 17, 1999, Brodie Edric Walradt raped, tortured and murdered 22-year-old Beth Kennard, who was near-term and had already named her preborn baby Alexis Ann. He did not want the baby. He suffocated her and bludgeoned her with a log.
       Kennard was murdered in her parents' Central Kitsap home days after she told Walradt to leave her and their preborn child alone. She had gotten a restraining order against Walradt.
       When Kennard and her mother Carole were at the courthouse processing the paperwork, they discovered Wadradt's extensive criminal record, which included theft, forgery and having sex with a 12-year-old girl. Carole said "We believed everything he said. He could con anybody into anything."
       Wadradt received a life sentence for his crimes, and Kennard's family members filed a civil suit in Kitsap County Superior Court against him, the state of Washington, and a state corrections employee.

References:  Lynette Meachum. "Victim's Mom: 'He Could Con Anybody'." The Sun [Bremerton, Washington], September 22, 1999; Tracey Cooper. "Family of Murdered Woman Sue Killer, State." Central Kitsap Reporter, August 2, 2002.

Death Threats (3 incidents)

A Seattle pro-abort appropriately calling himself "Hick," in an Internet news discussion group entitled "alt.abortion.inequity" asked for information on Seattle area pro-lifers, and stated "I am going to avenge this one [Slepian shooting]: An eye for an eye!" Another of his messages stated: "Let's kill the anti-abortionists! Anyone care to join me?" In a third statement he "It's time to hunt you down and make you pay!"

Reference: "Pro-Abort Threatens to Kill Pro-Lifers in Retaliation." LifeSite Daily News at http://www.lifesite.net, October 26, 1998.

Theft and Destruction of Property [Bellingham]

The Human Life Alliance of Minnesota placed a paid advertising supplement entitled "She's a Child, Not a Choice" in the January 1999 edition of The Western Front, the student newspaper of Western Washington University. Pro-abortionists once again showed how afraid of debate they are when they removed and destroyed more than 500 of the inserts.

References: "Students Steal Student Newspaper with Pro-Life Insert." Steven Ertelt's Pro-Life Infonet at http://www.prolifeinfo.org/infonet.html, February 4, 1999; Western Washington Front, January 1999.

Vandalism [Enumclaw]

       The Enumclaw Human Life group had a 180-cross display set out for five consecutive spring seasons, from Mother's Day to Father's Day. During Sunday night of the 2000 Memorial Day weekend, pro-abortionists tore down each of the four double-sided signs that carry anti-abortion messages, and destroyed nearly every one of the 180 crosses, breaking off most at the bottom. The large signs were built on sturdy posts that took some strength or resolve to knock over and break off at the base.
       The 180 crosses represent the number of abortions performed hourly in the United States.

Reference:  Lynn Keebaugh. "Vandals Destroy Human Life's Anti-Abortion Display." Keebaugh/Enumclaw Courier-Herald, June 13, 2000, page 3.

Medicaid Fraud

Abortionist Ronald C. Margolis was jailed for Medicaid fraud. He submitted claims for $55,000 for which he was not entitled. The medical board stated that he instructed his staff to administer expired injectable medications, reused gynecological instruments without sterilization, failed to follow sanitation procedures such as washing his hands and using gloves, regularly recorded tests as negative when the tests had not actually been performed, and that his emergency supply kit lacked certain essential drugs.

Reference: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 14, 1991; Seattle Times, February 5, 1990.

Shelton

Murder and Suicide

       Michael J. Beard was living with his girlfriend, Donna L. Wojahn, who was five months pregnant with his child, and Wojahn's four-year-old son.
       Early in the morning of August 25, 2003, Beard and Wojahn began to argue. A neighbor heard gunshots and called police, who arrived and found both Beard and Wojahn dead. An autopsy performed the next day confirmed that Beard had shot and killed Wojahn, and had then committed suicide with the same gun. Beard had shot his pregnant girlfriend in the chest and head and had shot himself in the head.

Reference:  Scott Gutierrez. "Autopsy Confirms Murder-Suicide: Four-Year-Old Boy in Custody of Biological Father." The Olympian [Olympia, Washington], August 27, 2003.

Spokane

Second-Degree Murder (2 Counts) and Assault

       On August 10, 2004, John E. Lipinski pushed his pregnant girlfriend, Melissa Salvidar, out of a moving car. Her head was crushed under the wheels of the car. Lipinski picked her up and drove her to Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he gave three different versions of what had happened. Doctors restarted her heart in order to save her baby, but she died the next day. Since she was seven months pregnant, doctors attempted to save her baby. They succeeded, but the baby, who was brain dead, died 52 days later after being removed from life support equipment.
       On June 24, 2005, Lipinski surrendered to police in Spokane after driving across the country from Delaware. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He had previously been charged with domestic violence assault against Melissa in July 2003.
       A jury found Lipinski guilty of two counts of second-degree murder. On April 19, 2006, Lipinski, who continued to maintain his innocence in the murder, was sentenced to 200 months in prison for Melissa's murder and 171 months for the murder of her preborn child.

Reference:  Associated Press. "Warrants Issued in Deaths of Pregnant Woman, Fetus." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 16, 2005; Associated Press. "Man Sought in Double Homicide Surrenders to Authorities." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 24, 2005; Jeff Humphrey. "Lipinski Sentenced to 171 Months in Prison." KLXY News 4 [AM 920, Spokane, Washington and Northern Idaho], April 20, 2006.

Vancouver

Attempted Murder and Kidnapping

       Cravann Sturgis tried to kill his girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant, with a claw hammer. He broke into her home and beat her several times on the head with the hammer, fracturing her skull severely in several places. He trapped her in her bedroom and, despite her injuries, she managed to escape by cutting through the screen on her bedroom window.
       In April 2003, a jury found Sturgis guilty of attempted murder and kidnapping. On November 20, 2003, in Clark County Superior Court, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

References:  "Pregnant Woman Beaten with Hammer." KOIN Television [Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington], April 28, 2003; "Man Charged with Beating Girlfriend with Hammer." KOIN Television [Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington], April 30, 2003; "Man Sentenced for Beating Girlfriend with Hammer: Victim was 8 Months Pregnant." KOIN Television [Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington], November 21, 2003.

Wenatchee

Death Threats (2 incidents)

Daniel Adam Mathison was the first pro-abortion activist indicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act on April 11, 1995. He called the crisis pregnancy center First Way in Wenatchee, Washington on January 2, 1995 and threatened to kill workers at the office. He also called the National Life Center hotline in Woodbury, New Jersey and told an operator he was going to shoot pro-life protesters outside abortion clinics. He pleaded guilty to the charges and, on August 31, 1995, was sentenced to 30 days of home confinement, 10 weekends in the Chelan County Jail, and five years probation in the United States District Court in Spokane.

References: Associated Press, April 11, 1995 and June 7, 1995; New York Times, April 12, 1995; "Man Accused of Making Threatening Calls Says He Regrets It." Wenatchee World, April 13, 1995, page 2; "Pro-Choice Advocate Pleads Guilty to Threats." Wenatchee World, June 6, 1995; Tim Graham and Clay Waters. "Roe Warriors: The Media's Pro-Abortion Bias." Media Research Council report dated July 22, 1998.