In the fall of 2016, the life of 16-year-old Maleaha Talton was tragically cut short. A sophomore at McCluer North High School, she was described by her family as a vibrant and outspoken young woman who loved music and hairstyling. However, behind this exterior was a turbulent and abusive relationship with an older man, 22-year-old Evander Thompson.
Her family had made several attempts to protect her, even filing for restraining orders against him, but the tumultuous relationship continued.
On November 4, 2016, a grim discovery was made along the Ted Jones Bike Trail in Ferguson, Missouri. Maleaha's body was found wrapped in a rug, hidden in a wooded area. An investigation revealed that she had been brutally beaten and shot in the head at a different location 24 to 48 hours before her body was abandoned on the trail. Her mother shared that she believed her daughter had been lured into a home before she was killed.
Immediately following the discovery of Maleaha's body, the Ferguson Police Department identified Evander Thompson as a person of interest in the homicide. For over a year, Thompson remained at large, eluding law enforcement. It wasn't until a local news station aired a 'True Crime Cover Story' on the cold case that a surge of new tips came in, leading to a significant break.
In February 2018, acting on one of these tips, police located and arrested Thompson at an apartment in Hazelwood. He was taken into custody and held at the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton. At the time of his arrest, it was reported that murder warrants were expected to be filed against him, bringing a glimmer of hope for justice to Maleaha's grieving family.
