Cops in Texas say the man they’re looking for in the murder of a 23-year-old mother of two earlier this month orchestrated the killing as revenge for the the slaying his half brother four years ago.
Seabrook Police obtained a warrant for the arrest of 22-year-old Dawayland Hurst for the murder of Mary Jayne Collins after they were called to an apartment for a report of a man waving a gun who may have pointed it at children, as CrimeOnline reported. They found Collins dead and said they believe Hurst had assaulted one of the children before the murder.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Hurst’s half brother, Diajwan Triplett, was slain on July 31, 2020. Michael King was convicted in the murder, KTRK reported.
Hurst started a relationship with Collins, who was King’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child, in June, police said. Investigators say Hurst was abusive toward Collins and that she showed pictures of injuries he allegedly inflicted to her friends.
On October 4, King placed a FaceTime call to Collins from prison, apparently on a smuggled phone. Hurst answered the call and taunted King, including slapping his child in the face, according to the statement. The child could be heard crying as Collins called out to “get away from him.” That call ended at about 10 a.m., and it was the last time Collins was seen alive.
A Ring doorbell camera showed Hurst leaving the apartment just before 11 a.m. and taking an “evasive path” away, the document says.
King’s mother apparently learned of the FaceTime call and posted to Facebook that soneome should check on Collins. Friends who saw the post called 911, leading to officers arriving at the apartment.
Police said they believe Hurst “was motivated to revenge the death of his brother Diajwan Triplett,” the affidavit says. “Thus he befriended, abused and then murdered the victim who was the mother of Michael King’s children.”
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Featured image: Dawayland Hurst/Seabrook Police Department and Mary Jayne Collins/Facebook]
