2 people accused of beating missing pregnant woman and setting her on fire

TYLER, Texas (TCD) -- A man and a woman were charged with capital murder earlier this month for allegedly beating a pregnant woman who has been missing since 2016 and lighting her on fire.

Sheryia Grant was last seen Aug. 20, 2016, in Kilgore, Texas. According to the Kilgore Police Department, Grant was eight months pregnant at the time of her disappearance and investigators had "reason to believe Ms. Grant may be in danger."

In a March 2017 statement, the Kilgore Police Department said evidence "indicates she was murdered shortly after she was reported missing/endangered." At the time, police arrested Laneshia Lanae Young and Allen Lamont Sutton, who were indicted by a grand jury on charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence (human corpse) and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. KLTV-TV reports they were both convicted.

Grant’s body was never found.

According to KLTV, Sutton and Young allegedly assaulted Grant a few months before she went missing. Additionally, Sutton and Young’s car was repossessed, but a trunk liner was missing. Investigators reportedly found DNA evidence matching Grant’s in the trunk.

Sutton and Young have now been charged with capital murder. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports court documents from Dec. 2 allege Young and Sutton beat Grant some time around Aug. 20, 2016, and lit her on fire using accelerant, which also caused the death of her unborn child.

According to KLTV, Sutton and Young were in a relationship. Young went to jail at one point and Sutton moved in with Grant, who happens to be Young’s cousin. KLTV, citing court documents, reports Sutton impregnated Grant when Young was in jail.

Grant and Sutton’s roommate reportedly testified that Grant fell in love with Sutton and was happy he was the father of her child, KLTV reports. The roommate said in court Sutton said Grant "was causing problems and needed to go."

When Young got out of jail, she and Sutton reportedly picked their relationship back up and Grant went missing not long after.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office is now in charge of prosecuting the case. ​

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