Crime

Ex-Boyfriend Named Person of Interest After Bodies of Missing Wash. Mom, 7-Year-Old Daughter Found

Police in Vancouver, Wash., say Meshay Melendez, 27, and Layla Stewart, 7, were last seen alive the morning of March 12

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Published on March 23, 2023 04:30 PM

Meshay Melendez and daughter Layla Stewart found dead — Meshay Melendez and daughter Layla Stewart. Photo: Vancouver Police Department/Facebook (2)

The ex-boyfriend of a Washington mom has been detained after authorities identified him as a person of interest in connection with the disappearance and subsequent deaths of the mother and her 7-year-old daughter, according to reports.

Police in Vancouver, Wash., say Meshay Melendez, 27, and Layla Stewart, 7, were last seen alive on the morning of March 12.

A friend alleged to police they last saw Melendez that day "unresponsive and naked from the waist down" in the car of her ex-boyfriend, Kirkland Warren.

Warren was taken into custody on charges of tampering with a witness, violation of domestic violence orders, and unlawful possession of a firearm, in connection to the disappearance of the mother and daughter, a Vancouver police news release reads.

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According to The Columbian, at the time of his arrest Sunday, Warren was out on bail after being charged with drive-by shooting, assault and felony harassment; he is accused of firing a gun at Melendez's apartment earlier this month.

He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

On Wednesday, a person called 911 to report a sighting of what appeared to be two "life-sized mannequins" in a rural area in nearby Washougal, Wash., KPTV-TV reports, citing the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

A preliminary investigation verified the mannequins were in fact the bodies of a woman and a young girl. Genetic markings lead police to believe they are the remains of Melendez and Layla, according to KATU-TV.

An autopsy has been scheduled to determine their causes of death.

Warren is currently being held on $1 million bail.

Attorney information for Warren was not immediately available and it's unclear if he entered a plea to the current charges.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.