Authorities have apprehended the ex-boyfriend of a Washington mother and her 7-year-old daughter after identifying him as a person of interest in connection with their disappearance and subsequent killings.
The last time Meshay Melendez, 27, and Layla Stewart, 7, were seen alive was on March 12 in Vancouver, Washington, according to the local police.
Ex-Boyfriend Arrested After Washington Mom, Daughter Found Dead
A companion said to authorities that the last time they saw Melendez alive on that day, she was “naked from the waist down” and unresponsive in the vehicle belonging to her ex-boyfriend, Kirkland Warren.
According to a news statement from the Vancouver Police Department, Warren was arrested on counts of witness tampering, breach of domestic violence orders, and unlawful possession of a firearm in relation to the abduction of the mother and daughter.
These charges are connected to the inquiry into the mother and daughter’s disappearance.
Warren is accused of firing a gun at Melendez’s residence earlier this month and has been charged with drive-by shooting, assault, and felony harassment. Warren was free on bond at the time of his arrest on Sunday, having already been charged with these charges.
Warren has pled not guilty to the accusations against him.
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Remains Were Used As Mannequins
According to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, someone called 911 on Wednesday to report seeing two “life-size mannequins” in a rural location near Washougal, Washington. The claimed sighting occurred in the vicinity of Washougal.
The remains of a woman and a young child were used to build the mannequins, according to an initial investigation. The officials believe the remains belong to Melendez and Layla based on genetic markers.
To determine the circumstances surrounding their death, an autopsy will be conducted.
Currently, Warren’s bond is set at one million dollars, and he is being held in custody.
It was not immediately feasible to gather information about Warren’s attorney, and it is uncertain whether he has entered a plea to the current charges against him.
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