RICHMOND, Va. – As investigators continue to tug at threads in the case of Quincy Jamar Davis -- last seen alive in 2004 – people who knew his mother are shedding light on his family life. Via phone from Georgia, Bernice House said she is still trying to come to terms with the death of Quincy.
"It hurts my heart, Lord knows it hurts my heart,” House said.
Quincy hasn’t been seen since 2004 when he lived in Virginia Beach and attended Virginia Beach Middle school, Virginia State Police investigators said. He lived in the area with his mother Tonya Slaton.
His remains were found June 6, 2015, in the trunk of a car driven by Slaton. She was stopped by police in Hampton, for having expired tags.
House said Slaton was once married to her son. The two never had children together, but she said her son adored Quincy.
The woman recalled their relationship starting out on a rocky note. She said when the two first dated, she was concerned by a violent incident that happened. House said Slaton allegedly smashed all the windows on her son’s Ford Mustang and slashed all of his tires.
House said she then advised her son against continuing the relationship. She said not long after that, her son called her to inform her that he and Slaton had gotten married.
As the months passed, House said Slaton would accompany her son to Georgia where House lived. She said she last saw Slaton and Quincy in 2002, at a family reunion in Georgia.
House said that the Mustang where Quincy’s remains were found was listed in her son’s name. That was because after the couple divorced, Slaton allegedly refused to give the car back, according to House.
“I know that was his Mustang because it had been hidden. They were looking for his Mustang during the divorce, but I told him to let it go. He found out what was going on when police from Virginia contacted him. They contacted him because the car was in his name. That’s probably why she couldn’t get a tag because the car wasn’t in her name,” House added.
The suspect’s former mother in law said she was completely shocked that Slaton would be in this situation. She said whenever Slaton came to Georgia with Quincy she was always very respectful. She said Slaton seemed to be quite close with her son.
“He was very smart and very mannerable. Why? What could that boy have possibly done for this to happen to him? Why?” House asked.
She also recalled a bizarre incident early on with Slaton that stood out. House said when Slaton married her son, she only told him about Quincy and never admitted to him that she also had another biological child.
Virginia State Police last week confirmed that Slaton also has an adult son. They gave no details, however on that child’s whereabouts.
House said during a visit, Slaton’s son Quincy became upset. When she asked him what was wrong, she said the boy mentioned that he missed his brother.
House said that was news to her and her son who was married to Slaton at the time. She said she never understood why Slaton denied having another son.
Court documents obtained by WTVR CBS 6 News recently also showed Slaton classified herself as single with no family and no kids. That information was revealed on a bail requirement form after her June 6 arrest for concealing a dead body.
House said her entire family was now devastated, even her son who has since remarried.
“He’s hurt, but he knows the Lord. I told him it is in God’s hands right now because he was crazy about that child. It is senseless. It has done something to my family to learn this. They just can’t believe it happened to Quincy,” House added.
She said it was a tragedy to learn that for more than 10 years the boy was missing and met such a terrible fate.
“He’s in the arms of God right now but I’m going to have compassion for her too. I want God to have mercy on her because I know he’s in a better place,” House explained.
The other thing she’s grateful for is knowing that her son ultimately got out of that relationship.
“I was thanking God that he woke up, see what I’m saying? I thank God he let her go. If she did something to her own son, what could she have done to mine? I thank God he doesn’t have to deal with that. He’s still hurting, though about that child,” House said.
Last Friday Virginia State Police sent out a plea for help to people in Central Virginia and Hampton Roads who might be familiar with Tonya Slaton and who may know Quincy’s whereabouts from 2004 until now.
They said so far 10 calls have come in. They are now following up on those leads.
Slaton remains in jail in Hampton without bail.
Stay with CBS 6 News for the latest developments in this story.
