The granddaughter of an elderly Florida couple is accused by police of working with a man to murder her grandparents, who were found dead in March.
Major, 89, and Claudette Melvin, 85, were found dead in their home on March 22, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said in a release.
On Thursday, Sept. 12, Jalisa Hill, 38, one of the Melvins’ 28 grandchildren, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, police said, weeks after Maurice Newson, 30, was charged with the same offenses as well as one count of robbery with a firearm.
When police responded to the home of Major and Claudette in March, it was discovered that their car was missing. It was later located at a tow yard in May, police said.
Newson was allegedly identified as the person who sold the vehicle to the tow yard, police claimed, and on May 23 he was arrested and charged with theft of a motor vehicle and dealing in stolen property. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and was released on bond, the Associated Pressreported.
Maurice Newson, left, and Jalisa Hill.
Broward County Jail
Police say that after obtaining further probable cause, Newson was charged with two counts of murder on Aug. 27.
Authorities have not said what led them to charging Newson and Hill, only saying that it is “believed [Hill] worked in conjunction with Maurice Newson to murder her grandparents,” the release states.
Both Local 10 and NBC Miami reported that Hill and Newson had once dated.
The AP reported that the Melvins had been married for 60 years and had 28 grandchildren.
It is not immediately clear if either Hill or Newson has retained an attorney or entered a plea.
A GoFundMe started by another one of Major and Claudette’s grandchildren has raised over $3,000.
