2 charged in deadly beating of pregnant woman

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From: NBC Philadelphia

Two brothers are facing charges in beating death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman outside Philadelphia’s traffic court building.

Homicide Lt. Walt Bell says 28-year-old Walter Williams and 29-year-old Robert Canada attacked Tovoyia Owens Monday Feb. 7 at about 2 p.m.

Police say Owens and her boyfriend were attacked after a chance meeting with Williams inside the traffic court building, at 800 Spring Garden St. Owens died of blunt impact trauma to the neck about an hour after the beating.

Williams was charged with murder and Canada charged with aggravated and simple assault. Bell says a long-simmering dispute between Williams and Owens’ brother prompted the attack.

Owens was taking classes at Cheyney University and had a 4-year-old daughter.

“We saw all these guys, like, beating this girl,” said one witness, David Cole. “And she was pregnant, and like, no one tried to help.”

It was not immediately clear if either suspect had an attorney.

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