News footage of Dayveon Lathrop during a court appearance (WMTV).
A Wisconsin man accused of fatally stabbing his 8-year-old sister and concealing her body in a tote will face trial, authorities have confirmed.
Dayveon Lathrop, now 21, was taken into custody in March 2024 following the tragic death of his adopted sister. According to a criminal complaint shared by NBC affiliate WMTV, the young girl was reported missing by her father on March 9, 2024. Upon returning home from errands and confronting Lathrop—who was the only person with the child at the time—the father was met with the chilling response, “She is dead,” according to police reports.
The police discovered the girl’s body, stabbed and concealed inside a tote, in the laundry room of the family home.
When questioned by authorities, Lathrop, then 20, claimed he had no memory of the events, attributing his state to being intoxicated and under the influence of marijuana. Witnesses reported seeing Lathrop and the girl in a heated argument around 4:30 p.m. the day she disappeared.
Investigators reportedly found two knives in a shower before discovering the girl’s body. Lathrop was subsequently charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.
During his initial court appearance, concerns were raised about Lathrop’s mental competency. However, in May 2024, he was deemed competent to stand trial after pleading not guilty. Although a trial was initially set for July 2025, it was postponed, necessitating another competency hearing. At this second hearing, Lathrop was found incompetent to stand trial and was ordered to undergo treatment at a mental health facility, court records indicate.
A third competency hearing took place on Monday. Lathrop was deemed competent, and a jury trial was scheduled for July 2026. He was sent back to Rock County Jail, where he remains in custody. His next court date is scheduled for May 8, 2026.
