The biological father of slain Texas girl Maleah Davis, 5, attacked the man charged in her death, witnesses say. Dad Craig Davis allegedly beat up Derion Marquise Vence in court on Friday, according to ABC 13.
This reportedly happened in a hearing in which the defendant appeared in family court to give away parental rights to a boy, who is Maleah’s half-brother.
Lawyer Richard Tholstrup, who said he witnessed the incident while in court for unrelated case, said that he saw Vence wearing handcuffs, when another man lashed out.
“I was sitting there and somebody came in,” he said. “I thought it was a father, big guy, bigger guy, and he ran across the room and started beating the dickens out of him.”
Vence is publicly suspected of killing Davis, but hasn’t been charged in her murder, only tampering with evidence, and injury to a child, records show. She disappeared last May. The defendant, who had been dating the victim’s mother and had been described in the probable cause statement as the stepfather, tried to pass this off as a kidnapping, officer said. He claimed that Davis had been taken by three Hispanic men, cops said. Officials said this was lie. Maleah was slain, they said. Her body was found by I-30 in Arkansas, but in horrific fashion, and in a way that undermined the prosecution: lawnmowers accidentally ran over the garbage bag containing her body.
Craig Davis said nothing when ABC 13 asked him for comment:
The father of Maleah Davis attacked the only man charged in her death today in open court. My #abc13 exclusive: https://t.co/aI9zyNBwfj pic.twitter.com/AXbchbxpFf
— Miya Shay (@ABC13Miya) January 10, 2020
Vence is next scheduled for criminal court January 22.
[Image via Houston Police Department]
