January trial set for Vallejo couple in robbery

A Solano County Superior Court judge has set a January trial for a Vallejo couple accused of a 2018 robbery-murder in Vallejo.

Devonte Levan Hicks, 26, and Jessica Marie McCraven, 35, who appeared Monday in Department 7 in the Justice Building in Vallejo, heard Judge Tim P. Kam order them to return at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 10 for the trial. The judge also ordered them to return for two pretrial matters, a trial readiness conference at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and a trial management conference at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 4.

Fairfield criminal defense attorney Thomas Maas represents Hicks, and Terry Ray represents McCraven.

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 COVID-19 pandemic.

Hicks is being held in the Stanton Correctional Facility and McCraven in Solano County Jail, both without bail, in connection with the Aug. 20 killing of a man found unresponsive in a motel room on Enterprise Drive. The Solano County Coroner on Wednesday said the man's identity was still “protected” and could not be released.

Vallejo police officers arrested Hicks on Aug. 22 in the 1000 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo, and later the same day arrested McCraven in the 900 block of the lane.

Besides first-degree murder, the pair, both convicted felons, are charged with robbery during the commission of a murder, a specialcircumstances enhancement.

Additionally, Hicks initially was 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.

The Solano County District Attorney filed its complaint against the pair 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.