Bail set at $1 million for Maleah Davis' stepfather

Derion Vence, 26, was arrested Saturday and charged with tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his 4-year old stepdaughter, Maleah Davis. Derion Vence, 26, was arrested Saturday and charged with tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his 4-year old stepdaughter, Maleah Davis. Photo: Houston Police Department Photo: Houston Police Department Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Bail set at $1 million for Maleah Davis' stepfather 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

The stepfather of 4-year-old Maleah Davis, the last person to see her before her disappearance a week ago, was taken into custody Saturday and charged with tampering with evidence — the first major break in a case that has confounded both the public and authorities.

Derion Vence, 26, was arrested by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitives Task Force at a relative's home in Sugar Land without incident. He is charged with "tampering with evidence-human corpse," but police said no remains had been recovered as of Saturday evening. A Houston Police Department spokesman said blood evidence obtained from Vence's apartment has been linked to Maleah.

Vence made his first court appearance Saturday evening before Judge DaSean Jones in the 180th District Court. His bail was set at $1 million, according to Harris County court records.

STAY INFORMED: Get all the news you need to know to start your day, delivered to your inbox

Vence had been missing since he reported Maleah's disappearance and police were "actively searching" for him. As recently as five days ago, investigators did not consider Vence a suspect or a person of interest in Maleah's disappearance, though Houston police Sgt. Mark Holbrook told reporters Monday that there were "a lot of blanks" in his story.

Vence told police that he pulled over to check a flat tire around 9 p.m. last Friday while driving to Bush Intercontinental Airport to pick up Bowens, who had been out of state for funeral. He said he was with Maleah and his 1-year-old son when three men approached him and knocked him unconscious, near Interstate 69 and Greens Road. He claimed he blacked out until 6 p.m. Saturday.

When he awoke, he was in Sugar Land with the boy, but Maleah was gone, he told police. He said he walked to Houston Methodist Hospital four hours later and reported the girl missing and the Nissan Altima he was driving stolen.

Police revealed Saturday surveillance video shows someone in that Nissan Altima dropped Vence off at the Methodist Sugar Land Hospital on May 5.

That car was recovered in a Missouri City parking lot Thursday morning, police said. A laundry basket was found in the trunk, along with a gas can, confirming information released by Brittany Bowens, Maleah's mother, on Friday.

Community activist Quanell X, speaking on behalf of Bowens on Friday, said Bowens saw a surveillance video that showed Vence walking out of his apartment with bleach, a laundry basket and a black bag that she believes contained the girl's body.

Bowens believes that Maleah's disappearance was triggered by a confrontation she had with Vence the day before her trip, Quanell X said. She asked Vence about nude photos he allegedly sent to another person, and he "snapped."

NEW CLUES IN CASE: Car involved in missing 4-year-old Maleah Davis case has been found

Bowens also described severe bruising on the little girl's leg on at least one occasion, as well as suspicions she had been molested by Vence.

Court documents show that the girl's grandmother, Brenda Bowens, tried having Maleah and her two siblings placed in her home — rather than in foster care — during a Child Protective Services investigation that began last August.

Maleah was taken into state custody after suffering an unexplained head injury, which was reported as an allegation of physical abuse and neglectful supervision.

Brittany Bowens told her mother that Maleah had "fallen from a tall chair to a marble table" but was fine. During a second hospital visit after the fall, she had a procedure that required half of her skull to be removed.

She had also been hospitalized on July 10, 2018, after vomiting with small amounts of blood, according to court records.

Authorities are still searching for Maleah, though the heavy rains in the Houston area the last two days have delayed the efforts.

Staff writer Samantha Ketterer contributed reporting.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the suspect's first name. Houston police initially spelled it Darion but now say it is Derion.

nick.powell@chron.com