Police: NJ man waited for pregnant woman before gunning her down

PATERSON — A 30-year-old man was arrested Saturday for gunning down a pregnant woman, who died of her wounds after giving birth, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora.

Donqua Thomas, a city resident, was charged with first degree murder for the Thursday killing of a 31-year-old woman, so far only identified by her initials R.L., according to a joint release from Valdes and Baycora.

Daily Voice reported that Thomas was the woman's boyfriend and father of the newborn delivered just before the mother's death.

According to Valdes and Baycora, Thomas sat in a parked vehicle near the woman's home on Thursday for over an hour and a half, before shooting her several times after she had returned home and parked her own car.

CBS New York cited witnesses in reporting that the woman killed had two other children, and that one of them saw their mother getting shot.

Police previously said the baby was in stable condition at a local hospital.

If convicted of murder, Thomas faces 30 years to life in prison.

Thomas also was charged with three counts of unlawful weapons possession.

The prosecutor's office confirmed it intends to file a motion for pre-trial detention.

Anyone with information regarding the incident can contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office on its tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact Paterson Police at 973-321-1120.

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