A California woman’s body has been found hidden in a “secret” attic of a home after being reported missing days before, police say.
Last Sunday, the Vallejo Police Department received a report about a missing 28-year-old woman named Renia Lewis. The investigation into Lewis’ disappearance led the police to a local home.
“There were indications that the missing woman may have been inside the residence at some point before going missing,” police said in a Facebook post Wednesday. Lewis’ mother, Teri Lewis, told KTVU Fox 2 that she tracked her daughter to the home using Life360.
Officers conducted a quick search of the home’s rooms and closets but found no signs of Lewis.
Although police say she did not meet the requirements for the statewide Ebony Alert Program, authorities still requested one for Lewis last Monday, which the California Highway Patrol approved. An Ebony Alert helps investigators in “the suspicious or unexplainable disappearance” of a Black woman or Black person, according to state troopers.
Local police also involved the FBI, which provided “expert resources and investigative support,” according to the Facebook post.
The investigation led detectives back to the home where they had initially searched for the woman. After being granted a search warrant, officers “thoroughly” searched the home on Tuesday, according to authorities.
Police said officers “discovered a concealed entry into the attic,” and when they searched the attic, they found the missing woman.
“What did she do to you for you to kill her, and then put her in a wall?” Lewis’ mom asked, telling KTVU, “I know she fought.”
Lewis’ cousin, Latoya Lewis, told the outlet, “You would miss it, because my baby girl was hidden behind a wall. A secret wall they placed her behind.”
Douglas Irwin Shaw, a 41-year-old Vallejo local, was identified as the suspect in Lewis’ death, and he was arrested at his job, police say.
Shaw “admitted being responsible for this heinous crime” to police, according to the Facebook post. He was booked in the Solano County Jail for murder, police say.
Teri said her daughter’s suspected killer deserves life in prison, telling KTVU, “He needs to sit there and suffer for my daughter because she didn’t deserve this.”
KTVU reported, citing records, Shaw lives close to the home where cops found Lewis’ body. His relationship to the woman is unclear.
Lewis, who was Teri’s youngest daughter, was described by relatives as a family-oriented person who loved to cook, KTVU reported.
“This was a heartbreaking, senseless act of violence that has no place in our community,” Vallejo Police Chief Jason Ta said in a statement. “I am proud of our officers and detectives for making an arrest and solving this case. Above all, our thoughts are with the decedent’s family during this incredibly difficult time.”
