Kevin Faux, 24, appeared in a Houston courtroom on Wednesday morning for his arraignment, the formal reading of the charges against him in the death of Ashanti Allen. He is charged with capital murder and accused of killing Allen, the mother of his unborn child, while she was eight months pregnant. The hearing marked the latest step in a case that has drawn wide attention across the Houston area.
Allen, 23, went missing on April 10, and her body was found six days later near Chimney Rock Park in Southwest Houston. After the discovery, authorities launched a manhunt for Faux, who was ultimately tracked down and arrested in Louisiana. He was later returned to face the charge in the case.
According to court documents cited by prosecutors, Allen was found dead with a cord wrapped around her neck. The same documents allege that on April 10, the day she disappeared, Faux called someone on FaceTime and showed them Allen's body, a detail that has added to the horror surrounding the case.
After his arrest, Allen's family spoke out, describing a deep sense of heartbreak and betrayal. Relatives said they had taken Faux in, fed him and even given him a car, only to see him accused of taking Allen's life. "He had no feelings for her, nothing," one family member said, recalling how much they had done for him before the killing.
Allen's family also directed an emotional plea at the local justice system as the case moves forward. "I pray that the Harris County judicial system do the right thing and do not fail my daughter a second time," a relative said, a reference to their belief that earlier warning signs had not been enough to protect her.
That concern is rooted in Faux's earlier history with Allen. Before her death, he was charged with assault and continuous family violence last September, and was accused of committing at least two acts of violence against her. The prior case has become central to the family's frustration over how the situation was handled.
In that earlier case, Faux took a plea deal and was sentenced to 280 days in jail. He was given credit for 143 days already served and was ultimately released early, a detail now drawing renewed scrutiny as he faces a capital murder charge in Allen's death. The case is expected to continue in the Harris County courts in the coming weeks.