VANCOUVER, Wash. — The man charged with the murders of ex-girlfriend Meshay Melendez, 27, and her 7-year-old daughter Layla Stewart is slated to stand trial on September 9 at 9 a.m., according to online court records.
Kirkland Warren appeared in Clark County court on Friday via Zoom. In addition to facing two murder charges, police also accuse Warren of raping the young girl before killing her and her mother.
On Friday, prosecutors signaled they intend to call 77 witnesses during trial. The defense confirmed to Judge Robert Lewis they have a list of eight witnesses. Attorneys believe the trial will last between two and three weeks.
Back in 2023, Melendez and Stewart were reported missing after they were last seen traveling with Warren on March 12.
After a call from a passerby, law enforcement found the bodies of Melendez and Stewart in a rural area near Washougal on March 22. Both had been shot in the head, police said.
Warren was previously arrested for murder across the country in Arkansas, in 2017. According to court records obtained by THV11 in Little Rock, Warren posted bond one day after he was arrested. Prosecutors in Arkansas moved to revoke Warren's bond in early March of 2023 after he was arrested in Vancouver, Washington for shooting at and threatening Melendez in a separate incident before her disappearance.
