In a gruesome case, Chicago woman Clarisa Figueroa, known as the “womb raider,” was sentenced to 50 years behind bars for the murder of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, during which the unborn child was cut out of her womb. Accompanied by her daughter, Desiree Figueroa, Clarisa lured the young mother to their home under the guise of offering free baby clothes. Ochoa-Lopez had visited the Figueroa family’s home previously unharmed, but on April 23, 2019, the deadly duo carried out their sinister plot. Clarisa strangled Ochoa-Lopez to death while Desiree obtained a butcher’s knife to cut out the baby from the young mother’s womb.
Following the disturbing murder, Clarisa attempted to pass off the newborn as her own, calling 911 to report that her baby was not breathing. Tragically, Ochoa-Lopez’s son died two months later due to severe brain damage. The police investigation was initiated after Ochoa-Lopez’s husband reported her missing the day after her murder. Eventually, her body was discovered inside a trash container near the Figueroa home, confirming that the baby Clarisa was attempting to pass off as her own was actually Ochoa-Lopez’s child.
Authorities revealed that Clarisa had been deceiving her family about being pregnant following the recent death of her adult son. She maintained the charade by posting ultrasound images and nursery photos on her Facebook page while secretly plotting to obtain a newborn by any means necessary. Investigators found that Clarisa had connected with Ochoa-Lopez on a Facebook page for pregnant women just prior to the murder. In a plea deal, Desiree Figueroa received a 30-year sentence for first-degree murder after agreeing to testify against her mother, while Clarisa’s boyfriend, Piotr Bobak, was sentenced to four years for concealing the crime.
The heartbroken Ochoa-Lopez family expressed their grief and devastation in court, stating that the punishment would never be enough to alleviate their loss. Marlen Ochoa-Lopez’s mother, Raquel Uriostegui, shared that the loss of her daughter’s life was something she would never overcome. Additionally, Yovanny Lopez, Ochoa-Lopez’s husband, lamented that his son would never be able to hug his mother again. The father, who lost his entire family in the tragedy, expressed his sorrow outside the courtroom following the sentencing, illustrating the profound impact of the heinous crime on those left behind.
The Figueroa women’s cruel and calculated murder of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez shed light on a disturbing and inhumane act of violence. The details of the crime, from luring the victim under false pretenses to the brutal murder and extraction of her unborn child, sent shockwaves through the community. The subsequent investigation and legal proceedings revealed a web of deceit and betrayal orchestrated by Clarisa, who had hoped to fulfill her delusional fantasy of motherhood by taking a life. The sentencing of both women and Bobak, as well as the emotional impact on the victim’s family, serves as a solemn reminder of the horrific nature of the crime and its enduring repercussions on all those involved.
