The Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas has confirmed that is working with Houston authorities, as the former spokesman for a missing child’s mother claims that the girl’s stepfather has confessed to murder.
Quanell X, who announced just days ago that he would no longer be representing 4-year-old Maleah Davis‘ mother Brittany Bowens, said Friday that Davis’ stepfather Derion Vence confessed to the crime. Quanell X claimed that Vence admitted he killed Davis, admitted that he dumped her body in Arkansas and gave a reason for the killing.
“He felt like he was just totally overwhelmed, because Brittany wasn’t being the mother she should be being,” Quanell X said, according to the Houston Chronicle. “He was very specific with the amount of distance and time. When I was able to leave and look it up on my phone, he was to the point on the distance and time.”
“He said that he pulled over in Arkansas, got out of the car, walked to the side of the road, and dumped the body off the road,” he added.
As Law&Crime reported on Wednesday, Quanell X and Bowens recently split under acrimonious circumstances.
Bowens said she ditched Quanell X because he lied about details in the case, including the allegation that Davis was molested. “There is a reason to believe, based on what I know now, there’s issues of him [Derion Vence] possibly molesting young Maleah,” Quanell X said earlier in May, according to ABC 7. Bowens insisted that Maleah was never abused, though she reportedly said, “Derion did whoop Maleah just once.” He didn’t do it again after she confronted him, Bowens said.
Quanell X followed up on Bowens’ statement with one of his own. He accused her of being the liar and of covering up physical abuse committed by Derion Vence. He claimed he discussed this with prosecutors.
Police arrested Vence for allegedly tampering with evidence. They claim he lied about the story of Davis’ kidnapping. Investigators believe Davis has probably passed away.
It wasn’t the first time Quanell X, a community activist, had a bad break from people he worked for. For example, a mother and son sued him in Texas last year, and claimed he presented himself as an attorney. He denied wrongdoing and said that his contract made clear that he was not a lawyer. The People’s New Black Panther Party cut ties with Quanell X amid allegations that he failed to deliver services for people he was paid to represent.
Maleah Davis was reported missing on May 3. Video of Davis smiling after brain surgery–just weeks before she disappeared–recently surfaced online.
Alberto Luperon contributed to this report.
[Image via Houston Police Department]