A North Carolina woman is facing a first-degree murder charge after allegedly stabbing her father to death in their shared home. Maleigha Allen, 20, is accused of killing her father, Michael Allen, on April 17 in Lexington.
Authorities were alerted to the incident when Allen reportedly appeared at a family friend's house covered in blood and made statements about the fatal stabbing. According to reports, Allen told the friend, "My dad, and I’m sorry, I had to kill him." The friend subsequently called 911.
Responding officers found Michael Allen deceased inside the home from apparent stab wounds. Maleigha Allen was taken to a local hospital for injuries she sustained. After her release four days later, she was arrested on murder charges.
Initially, a grand jury declined to indict Allen, citing insufficient evidence. However, she was re-arrested earlier this month after a separate panel returned an indictment for first-degree murder. Allen is currently being held without bond and has not yet entered a plea.
Maleigha Allen's defense attorney, Karen Gerber, expressed disappointment with the renewed charges, stating, "We are asserting [Maleigha]'s innocence at this point and will continue to do so." The attorney also highlighted Michael Allen's history, including a 2019 arrest on incest and child rape charges involving his daughter, which were later dropped after the then-13-year-old recanted her statement.
In a jailhouse interview, Maleigha Allen claimed the stabbing was an act of self-defense, alleging that her father had been molesting her again. Photos shared before her arrest showed her with a black eye. Her mother and half-sister described the father-daughter relationship as toxic and violent, exacerbated by substance abuse issues.
According to reports, Allen had posted on Facebook approximately 24 hours before the incident, writing, “THIS WILL BE A MURDER SCENE STOP MY DADDY’S VOIECES (sic).” A family friend also recalled Allen making a disturbing statement the night before the stabbing, indicating she did not want "sexy time" with her father. This friend also noted that Michael Allen had shown off several new knives, including a switchblade, shortly before the pair left her home on the morning of the incident. Maleigha Allen was reportedly using meth at the time and appeared to be struggling mentally.