Man Arrested After Missing Black Woman’s Body Found Behind Secret Wall in His Home

Renia Lewis, a 28-year-old African American woman from Berkeley, California, was found dead inside a hidden wall at a home in Vallejo, California, days after she went missing. Police arrested 41-year-old Douglas Irwin Shaw in connection with her death.

Lewis was last seen on September 28, according to KTVU. Her mother, Teri Lewis, said she tracked her daughter’s location using the Life360 app, which showed her near 14th Street and Starr Avenue in Vallejo. When calls and messages went unanswered, relatives began their own search and later found her phone on the roof of a nearby school.

On Sunday, detectives discovered her body concealed behind a wall in the attic of a detached unit at the home. Vallejo police said there was a concealed entry leading to the attic and noted that Lewis had been at the home before her disappearance.

Teri said she had no connection to the house or its residents but knew her daughter often visited Vallejo to see friends and relatives. She expressed grief and disbelief, saying, “What did she do to you for you to kill her, and then put her in a wall?”

Investigators later arrested Shaw at his workplace. Records show he lives on Pomona Avenue, just a short distance from where Lewis was found. Authorities confirmed he remains in custody without bail and is expected to appear in Solano County Superior Court on Thursday.

Family members said Lewis and Shaw were not in a relationship but had recently met. Shaw reportedly confessed to killing her and throwing her phone onto a school roof. Police Chief Jason Ta described the case as “a heartbreaking, senseless act of violence that has no place in our community.”

Loved ones remembered Renia as a vibrant, family-oriented woman who loved to cook. Her cousin, Latoya Lewis, said she was devastated by the discovery. She said, “You would have never thought you would be out posting flyers, and it would be your own family member. My stomach was in knots.” The family is now seeking justice as they mourn her loss.

Renia Lewis, a 28-year-old African American woman from Berkeley, California, was found dead inside a hidden wall at a home in Vallejo, California, days after she went missing. Police arrested 41-year-old Douglas Irwin Shaw in connection with her death.

Lewis was last seen on September 28, according to KTVU. Her mother, Teri Lewis, said she tracked her daughter’s location using the Life360 app, which showed her near 14th Street and Starr Avenue in Vallejo. When calls and messages went unanswered, relatives began their own search and later found her phone on the roof of a nearby school.

On Sunday, detectives discovered her body concealed behind a wall in the attic of a detached unit at the home. Vallejo police said there was a concealed entry leading to the attic and noted that Lewis had been at the home before her disappearance.

Teri said she had no connection to the house or its residents but knew her daughter often visited Vallejo to see friends and relatives. She expressed grief and disbelief, saying, “What did she do to you for you to kill her, and then put her in a wall?”

Investigators later arrested Shaw at his workplace. Records show he lives on Pomona Avenue, just a short distance from where Lewis was found. Authorities confirmed he remains in custody without bail and is expected to appear in Solano County Superior Court on Thursday.

Family members said Lewis and Shaw were not in a relationship but had recently met. Shaw reportedly confessed to killing her and throwing her phone onto a school roof. Police Chief Jason Ta described the case as “a heartbreaking, senseless act of violence that has no place in our community.”

Loved ones remembered Renia as a vibrant, family-oriented woman who loved to cook. Her cousin, Latoya Lewis, said she was devastated by the discovery. She said, “You would have never thought you would be out posting flyers, and it would be your own family member. My stomach was in knots.” The family is now seeking justice as they mourn her loss.