A Passerby Thought He'd Found 2 Mannequins. It Turned Out to Be Slain 7-Year-Old and Her Mother

Mar. 15, 2025

Meshay Melendez; Layla Stewart.Photo: Vancouver Police Department/Facebook (2)

A Washington State man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to killing hisex-girlfriend and her 7-year-old daughterin 2023, according to multiple news reports.

In September, Warren pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated murder and second-degree murder in connection with the March 2023 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Meshay Melendez, 27, and her daughter, Layla Stewart, 7, all three outlets reported.

Warren was first named a person of interest in the disappearance and subsequent deaths of the mother and daughter, who were last seen alive on the morning of March 12, 2023, in Vancouver, Wash.,authorities previously said.

An acquaintance told investigators they saw Melendez that morning “passed out” in the passenger seat of Warren’s car, according to aprevious statementfrom Vancouver police. Warren then brought Layla into the car from inside the acquaintance’s home and drove away, police said.

According to the police statement, autopsies determined that both the mother and daughter had been fatally shot with the same gun. The 7-year-old had suffered two bullet wounds to the head while Melendez sustained a single gunshot to her left temple.

Kirkland Warren.

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In addition to pleading guilty to the murders, Warren entered an Alford plea to first-degree child molestation for sexually assaulting 7-year-old Layla, according toThe Columbian. The plea means Warren accepts the conviction while simultaneously maintaining his innocence.

On the day of Warren’s hearing, those close to Melendez and Layla provided emotional statements in and out of the courtroom.

As for Melendez’s mother, the loss of both her daughter and granddaughter left a permanent mark on her.

“The day I lost them, I lost a part of myself,” Melendez’s mother, Nichole Norris, wrote in a statement to the court, perThe Columbian.“A part of me died with my girls. I am no longer a girl mom. I am no longer a grandmother.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.

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

source: people.com