A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Dawayland Hurst for the murder of MaryJayne Collins, 23. Collins had two sons under the age of 10 who may have been witnesses, police said.
According to court records, Hurst's half-brother was killed by Michael King in 2020. King had a son with Collins, who started dating Hurst in June.
In the days before her murder, she told friends Hurst was abusing her and showed them injuries, records state.
On Oct. 4, after Collins had moved into a new apartment, the violence escalated, court records state, when King somehow made a video call from prison.
Hurst was present and taunted King before slapping King's son, which was captured on the video and sent to friends. Collins' body was found later that morning by police. She had been stabbed to death. Her boys were scared, but safe.
All of the events led police to conclude that Hurst was "motivated to avenge the death of his brother" and "thus, befriended, abused and then murdered the victim who was the mother of Michael King's children."
Collins' family told our sister station KTRK they want justice for her and that "Hurst needs to be arrested."
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Seabrook police or Crime Stoppers.