Authorities discovered the body of a missing 28-year-old woman, Renia Lewis, behind a concealed entrance in the attic of a home in Northern California on Wednesday. Lewis had been reported missing since Friday, and Douglas Irwin Shaw, 41, was arrested on murder charges. However, the Vallejo Police Department has not yet indicated a motive or confirmed whether Shaw and Lewis knew each other.
The police chief expressed sorrow over the incident, calling it a “heartbreaking, meaningless act of violence” that is unacceptable in the community. The investigation revealed that Lewis was last seen on Friday evening, but it wasn’t until Sunday that her disappearance was formally reported.
Investigators connected Lewis to a residence in Vallejo on Monday, conducting a preliminary search that did not yield any results. Following this, they obtained a warrant for a more extensive investigation.
During the second search, police found a hidden entryway to the attic, where they located Lewis’s remains. Information subsequently led them to identify Shaw as the primary suspect in her death, resulting in his arrest.
After being apprehended, Shaw reportedly made a statement admitting his involvement in the crime. He was then taken to Solano County Jail, facing charges of murder. It’s worth noting that Lewis’s death represents the 14th homicide in Vallejo this year, a statistic that underscores rising concerns in the area.
