A Fort Lauderdale woman, Jalisa Hill, 39, was arrested and charged with the murder of her grandparents, Major, 89, and Claudette Melvin, 87, authorities say. Hill was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Thursday.
On March 2, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department responded to a home on the 600 Block of Southwest 30th Terrace after receiving a 911 call from a family member. There, they found the octogenarian couple with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the scene. According to Local10.com, authorities discovered the couple’s red Ford Fusion had been stolen from their driveway. However, two weeks after the double homicide, investigators received a tip from a man who told them the car seen on the news was parked at 600 W. Oakland Park Blvd.
Upon further investigation, authorities discovered Hill’s boyfriend, Maurice Newson, 30, had sold the vehicle to a tow company for $200 the same day of the murder. As a result, Newson was arrested and charged with the murder of the Melvins.
Initially, investigators had interviewed Hill about her relationship with Newson and if she had any connection to the murder. The defendant denied the accusations and voluntarily submitted to a polygraph test, which she failed. Investors believed she was being untruthful and provided conflicting stories. Hill told investigators she and her mother were beneficiaries of her grandparents’ home and later claimed she was not an heir.
“My parents was real nice to Maurice. He let Maurice come in the house and he fed him, and I just can’t understand how the grim reaper – that’s what he was – come in and murder my parents. I think there’s a little something going on that’s going to come to the light. It’s just a matter of time. And when it does, you’re going to burn in hell. If my sister has something to do with it, I want her to be charged with it also,” said the victims’ son, Dennis Parker, reported NBC South Florida.
The defendant remained a person of interest until investigators had enough evidence that showed Hill worked with Newson to kill her grandparents.
The Melvins were married for 61 years.
Leave a Reply