Preliminary Hearing Delayed for Vallejo Man Accused of Killing Woman, Hiding Remains in Attic

A Solano County Superior Court judge on Wednesday postponed the preliminary hearing for a Vallejo man accused of killing a 28-year-old woman whose remains were discovered in an attic last year. Judge John B.

Ellis delayed the two-day hearing for 41-year-old Douglas Irwin Shaw, originally scheduled to begin Thursday, until August. The judge cited his ongoing involvement in an unrelated murder trial as the reason for the delay.

Shaw is charged in connection with the death of Renia Lewis, who was reported missing in September. According to Vallejo police, Shaw was arrested on Sept.

30 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, where he worked as a mechanic, two days after officers were first notified of Lewis's disappearance. Police said officers completed a missing person report on Sept.

28 and immediately began searching. Investigative efforts that same day led officers to a residence in the unit block of 14th Street in Vallejo.

According to a police news release, investigators found indications that Lewis may have been inside the residence before going missing. Officers entered the home for a welfare check and performed a cursory search of rooms, closets, and other places where a person could hide, but did not locate Lewis.

An Ebony Alert was approved and activated for Lewis on Sept. 29.

The following day, detectives returned to the residence with a search warrant and conducted a more extensive search. During that search, investigators discovered a concealed entry leading to the attic, where they found Lewis's remains.

Investigators said Shaw later provided a statement to detectives admitting responsibility for the crime. He remains in Solano County Jail without bail.

Shaw is represented by Deputy Public Defender Kirby Madden. The prosecution is led by Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Nguyen.

The case has drawn significant attention in Vallejo, both because of the nature of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Lewis's remains. At the time of Shaw's arrest, Vallejo Police Chief Jason Ta described the killing as "a heartbreaking, senseless act of violence that has no place in our community." The judge ordered Shaw to return to court on June 12 for a readiness conference.