Man Admits Strangling Pregnant Girlfriend During Argument

FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) — A man who strangled his pregnant girlfriend during an argument in their apartment has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.

Monmouth County prosecutors say they will seek a 28-year state prison sentence for Sender Neftali Villatoro-Reyes.

The 27-year-old Freehold man initially was charged with murder in the May 2014 death of his live-in girlfriend, Lucenay Fermin Gallegos. Authorities have said Villatoro-Reyes called 911 to report the attack.

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Responding officers found the 30-year-old Gallegos unresponsive on a couch. She was five months pregnant at the time.

An autopsy determined that Gallegos died from manual strangulation. But authorities have not provided details on the argument that spurred Villatoro-Reyes to use his hands to strangle Gallegos.

Villatoro-Reyes entered his plea on Friday. He's due to be sentenced April 21.

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