Judge arraigns Vallejo couple for a local 2018 fatal robbery

After a held-to-answer arraignment, a Solano County Superior Court judge on Monday scheduled further proceedings in the felony case against a Vallejo couple accused of a 2018 robbery-murder in Vallejo.

Judge Tim Kam ordered Devonte Levan Hicks, 25, and Jessica Marie McCraven, 34, to appear for a readiness conference and trial setting at 1:30 p.m. May 5 in Department 7 in the Justice Building in Vallejo.

The case has been subject to a series of delays in recent past months, in part due to reduced court operations and state and county public health directives amid the pandemic.

Hicks and McCraven are being held without bail in Solano County Jail in connection with the Aug. 20 killing of a man found unresponsive in a hotel room on Enterprise Drive.

Besides first-degree murder, they are charged with a robbery during the commission of a murder, a special circumstances enhancement.

Additionally, Hicks was initially charged with possession of a firearm, possession of prohibited ammunition, presenting a false ID to a police officer, and felony probation violations.

Besides the main charge, McCraven initially was charged with three counts of identity theft, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with an invalid license, two counts of check forgery, and burglary.

Hicks is represented by criminal defense attorney Thomas Maas of Fairfield. McCraven is represented by criminal defense attorney Laura Petty, also of Fairfield.

The Solano County District Attorney filed its complaint against the pair on Aug. 24, 2018.

If found guilty of the first-degree murder charge with the robbery enhancement, Hicks and McCraven may face life in prison without the possibility of parole.