A woman is facing accusations from law enforcement for allegedly collaborating with an accomplice to take the lives of her grandparents, whose bodies were discovered in March in Florida.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department reported that Major, 89, and Claudette Melvin, 85, were discovered deceased in their residence on March 22.
On Thursday, September 12, Jalisa Hill, 38, one of the Melvins’ 28 grandchildren, was taken into custody and faced two counts of first-degree murder, according to police reports. This comes weeks after Maurice Newson, 30, was also charged with the same crimes, along with an additional count of robbery involving a firearm.
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In March, authorities arrived at the residence of Major and Claudette, only to find that their vehicle was unaccounted for. Authorities reported that it was subsequently found at a tow yard in May.
Authorities reportedly identified Newson as the individual who sold the vehicle to the tow yard. On May 23, he was taken into custody and faced charges related to motor vehicle theft and the trafficking of stolen goods. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and was subsequently released on bond, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Authorities have reported that following the acquisition of additional probable cause, Newson faced charges of two counts of murder on August 27.
Officials have not disclosed the reasons behind the charges against Newson and Hill, merely stating that it is “believed [Hill] collaborated with Maurice Newson to take the lives of her grandparents,” according to the announcement.
Reports from both Local 10 and NBC Miami indicate that Hill and Newson were previously in a relationship.
The AP shared that the Melvins celebrated 60 years of marriage and are proud grandparents to 28 grandchildren.
The current status regarding whether Hill or Newson has secured legal representation or submitted a plea remains uncertain.