Mother’s boyfriend charged with murder in toddler’s death

A 37-year-old man is being held in Phoenix on a murder charge in connection with the slaying of his girlfriend’s baby found in apartment dumpster near the Strip last week, Las Vegas police said today.

Police said William Marshall, left, faces extradition back to Southern Nevada for the slaying of 21-month-old Shia Travis, dubbed by police as “Baby Jane Vista Doe.”

Police said authorities detained Marshall and Darrean Williams, 20, Shia’s mother, late Saturday night in Phoenix. They were both “persons of interest” in her slaying.

Police said the toddler died from blunt force trauma to her head in a “hellacious beating.”

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said the investigation of Williams continues, but she has not been arrested or charged.

“We’ll have to talk to the DA (District Attorney) on what we’ll have to charge her with,” Roberts said. “He’s definitely going to be charged with murder.”

The girl was found inside a trash bin Wednesday at the La Mesa Apartments, 560 Sierra Vista Avenue, by two homeless men.