A 22-year-old man named Dawayland Earnest Hurst was taken into custody in Texas City on Monday night. He was arrested in connection with the stabbing death of 23-year-old MaryJayne Collins, which occurred on October 4th.
According to court records, Hurst has an extensive criminal history in at least three counties. He was awaiting trial for several charges, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a family member, and terroristic threat of a family member.
Detectives came across a video phone call recording that King had made to Collins on the fateful day of her death while conducting the Seabrook homicide investigation into Collins’ tragic death.
The recording shows Hurst and Collins sitting on a bed with King’s child. In the video, Hurst can be heard instructing the child to say to King, “Daddy, he mean, look what he fixin’ to do to me.” Collins, overcome with distress, pleads, “No, get away, baby, no get away from him. No don’t.” Shockingly, Hurst responds by slapping the innocent little boy.
Collins’ friends and family members revealed that she had confided in them about Hurst’s physical abuse. They witnessed her with visible injuries, such as bruises and a bite mark on her face.
It took the authorities some time to locate Hurst, who was charged with murder a few days after Collins was killed.