Ex-boyfriend pleads guilty to murder of Vancouver mother, daughter in 2023

Editor's Note: This story includes details of child sex abuse that may be disturbing for some readers.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Kirkland Warren, the man accused of killing a mother and her 7-year-old daughter and dumping their bodies in Washington, pleaded guilty in court on Thursday, officials confirmed.

On March 22, the bodies of Meshay Melendez, 27, and her daughter Layla Stewart were discovered in a rural Washougal ditch. The pair had been missing for 10 days after they were last seen walking into a residence of an acquaintance with Warren.

A medical examiner later determined that both Melendez and Stewart were shot in the head.

Warren was first arrested on March 19 after being named a person of interest in the mother and daughter’s disappearances. He was under a no-contact order for allegedly shooting at their home about 10 days before they disappeared.

On Sept. 5, 2024, Warren pleaded guilty to the murders as well as the molestation of 7-year-old Stewart. He had previously pleaded not guilty in April 2023.

Vancouver police investigators reported that Stewart had been discovered naked from the waist down. It was determined that Stewart had been shot twice in the head and the Clark County Medical Examiner performed swabs where a reddish substance similar to blood was uncovered.

According to the findings report, semen was detected in the recovered sample and upon analysis, it was tied to DNA from Kirkland Warren.

Court officials said Warren’s sentencing will be held on Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. The family is expected to make a statement on that date.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.