When a Virginia State Police trooper pulled over Tonya Slaton, 44, of Richmond, on Interstate 64 earlier this month, he found a black trash bag in the trunk that contained human remains, according to an affidavit obtained by WTVR.
Friday, Virginia State Police confirmed the remains were that of Slaton’s biological son Quincy Jamar Davis.
According to the search warrants, one investigator believed “the victim’s death was likely the result of some homicidal action.”
Police said that they really need people to come forward with information about Quincy from the 2004 era, when he was in 7th grade in Virginia Beach.
“We really want people to come forward with any information, what could be a small detail to someone could be really important to investigators,” said Virginian State Police spokesman Sgt. Vick at the press conference Friday. “We would appreciate any assistance.”
The cause and manner of death are under investigation. Police would not say when he died, but confirmed the last anyone had heard from Quincy was around 2004. At that time, his mother did have a residence at the beach.
No missing persons report was ever filed for Quincy. Right now, VSP cannot say if Davis’ father or other family members have been contacted.
Anybody who has had contact with Quincy in the 2004 era is asked to come forward – if you went to school with him, if you lived in the neighborhood with him, please contact Virginia State Police at 757-424-680.
“Give us a footprint from before 2004 of his whereabouts, anything that can help us kind of put together that footprint,” said Vick.
The traffic stop
Police initially stopped Slaton over on Interstate 64 in Hampton for driving with expired tags. A subsequent inquiry revealed the car “was not registered in Virginia and the license plates on the vehicle were not found on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles,” according to the affidavit.
The trooper began impounding the vehicle and while taking inventory, discovered a black trash bag in the trunk, according to the court papers. There was a strong odor of rotting flesh permeating from the bag, the paperwork indicated. The body was double-bagged and sealed with duct tape.
Slaton allegedly threw some clothes on top of the bag, and told the trooper the bag contained just clothes. The trooper also noticed a large white stain located on the floorboard behind the driver’s seat.
“When questioned, [she] explained that she spilled some bleach,” according to the affidavit.
Slaton was charged with concealment of a dead body and is being held at the City of Hampton Jail without bond.
State police said that further charges against Slaton are pending.
Who is Tonya Slaton?
Slaton’s landlord on Foushee Street told WTVR CBS 6 that Slaton had been a tenant for two years. She described Slaton as a happy, friendly person with a bubbly personality. She said Slaton was late on her rent one month, but took a second job to make the payment. Residents in the apartment building declined to discuss the case or Slaton, citing requests from state police investigators that they not talk to the media.
According to court documents and other sources, Slaton worked full-time at Integrative Health in Glen Allen, as a front desk manager. Previously, the spine and disc clinic was located in Midlothian.
Past problems
Court and news records showed Slaton had been in serious trouble before. In October 2007, Hampton Police were looking for her and her black Mustang after she fired four shots through her boyfriend’s front door. She had become angry when he tried to break up with her and went and got a gun out of her car, saying “neither one of them were going to leave alive,” according to a report about the affidavit in that case.
The boyfriend escaped by climbing out of a window, cutting himself.
Slaton eventually turned herself in and wound up serving the better part of four years of a 15-year sentence for shooting into an occupied dwelling and attempted maiming.
Anyone with information about Slaton or the black 2003 Mustang can contact the Virginia State Police at 757-424-6800, #77 on a cell phone or via email. Anyone with information they’d like to report can submit a news tip here.