TYLER, Texas — WARNING: This article contains graphic details not suitable for all readers.
A Smith County grand jury has indicted a man accused of killing a Tyler woman in September.
The indictment filed on Dec. 7, accuses Jamaurea Jermaine Britton, 19, of the murder of Deja Hood, 18.
Britton was charged with murder on Sept. 25 after he admitted to beating Hood with a hammer, strangling and stabbing her before throwing her body into ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments.
According to Britton's arrest affidavit, Britton told investigators he went into a fit of rage after Dejah playfully tugged his ear, reminding him of his ex girlfriend. The affidavit said he confessed to smashing her head with a wine bottle, choking her and hitting her with a hammer, until the handle broke off. Evidence included footprints leading to her body, which was found wrapped up in a sheet in the creek behind the complex.
"It's a very traumatic thing that happened and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," Tyler Police Department public information officer Andy Erbaugh said.
According to officials, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, just after midnight, Lakeeta Jordan, Hood's mother, contacted the Tyler Police Department regarding her daughter having gone missing. Jordan said Hood was last seen around 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 25. Jordan said she was unable to get in contact with her daughter after she went out with friends.
The affidavit states Jordan recalled Hood's friend to be Britton and she gave officers his phone number. Police say they called Jordan, but she didn't answer. So, they called Britton with the number Jordan had provided. Police say Britton answered the phone and told officers he was moving out of his apartment soon. Britton also reportedly told police he picked Hood up at her apartment complex and brought her and a 1-year-old child Hood was babysitting, back to his apartment, located at 6100 Hollytree Dr., so she could help him pack his belongings.
Officials say Britton claimed while Hood was at his apartment, she walked out of the unit to go speak with someone in a black Chevrolet pickup. Britton reportedly said Hood returned to the apartment and told him she was leaving. The affidavit says Britton said Hood left with the child and then he went to work at a local hospital. Britton then claimed he got a phone call Hood saying he needed to come get her and the child she was babysitting. The affidavit states Britton returned to his apartment and found the 1-year-old under the stairwell of his apartment building. Britton allegedly told authorities he never saw Hood, but he drove the child back to Hood's apartment.
According to the affidavit, police again called Jordan, Hood's mother. She answered and told authorities her daughter had never disappeared like this before and that it was "out of character" for her. Authorities say Jordan claimed she tracked Hood's cell phone, which was showing in the area of 207 Elm St., in Tyler, which was near the Smith County Jail. Police say they called the jail, but Hood was not in custody. Police then requested Hood be entered into state and national databases as a missing person.
On Tuesday, officials spoke to Jordan again who claimed she had spoken with Britton several times and he gave different details from what he initially told her. After obtaining pictures of Hood, officers say they went to Britton's apartment. The affidavit states Britton called police because Hood's family had just "barged" into his apartment looking for her. When officers arrived on scene, they saw the word "LOSER" spray-painted in black on the wall of the entryway. Britton said the spray paint was done by an ex-girlfriend a few days prior.
According to the affidavit, police then interviewed Britton about Hood. Officials say Britton claimed Hood was a former classmate of his, but they didn't graduate the same year.
"He claimed he was moving from his apartment and needed to be out of the apartment by October 4, so he could move to a smaller apartment in the same complex," the affidavit states. "Britton claimed he contacted Hood to see if she could help him pack his belongings. He then drove his vehicle to Hood's apartment and then stayed in his car
while he sent Hood a text message, stating he was in his vehicle outside. Britton claimed Hood walked out to his vehicle with a 'baby' in hand, along with a child seat. He claimed Hood installed the child seat in the back seat and then secured the child before she entered the vehicle and sat in the front seat. He claimed they drove to Walmart, located at 6801 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, TX and they went to Subway, within Walmart, so she could eat something. Britton claimed they traveled back to his apartment after Subway and Hood was able to lay the child down to take a nap on Britton's bedroom mattress. Britton claimed, after a few minutes, Hood walked out of the apartment to go speak with the driver of a black Chevrolet, Silverado. He claimed he looked out his apartment door and was able to see how the truck had backed into a handicapped parking
space in front of the apartment building. Hood then returned to the apartment and claimed she was going to leave. Britton stated, Hood picked up the child and then left the
apartment."
Police say the interview with Britton was done in the living room of his apartment.
"There was minimal furniture in the living room, consisting of a short bookshelf and a sofa," the affidavit said.
Authorities say there was a bracket mount on the wall for a TV, but there was no TV. Britton reportedly claimed he had pawned the TV.
"On the other side of the sofa were markings," the affidavit said. "Upon closer look at the markings, it was discovered the marks were spray paint marks with black paint. The area that was spray painted was on the carpet and covered approximately six to eight square feet of carpeting.
Police say upon closer inspection, a red substance was found -- similar to a saturated blood spot. Britton reportedly said his dog had a medical episode and had bloody mucus coming from its nose. Officials asked who spray-painted the carpet and Britton again claimed it was his ex. Police say they told Britton it was strange that she would spray paint over an area where his dog had bled to which he had no argument.
The affidavit states Britton would not make eye contact with law enforcement when asked about Hood. Police then asked Britton if he hurt hood to which he reportedly replied he had would never hit a woman. When asked if Hood was still alive, Britton reportedly replied, "I would hope so."
Police say they walked around the apartment building and saw a ravine with three gloves by the water's edge. Officials say they also saw a deep shoe print next to the walkway of Britton's breezeway. Police say they asked Britton what kind of vehicle he drove and he explained he had a 2004 Ford Taurus. He reportedly said he didn't park at the apartment complex because he didn't have a parking permit and doesn't want his car to get towed. Police say Britton pulled out his phone and showed them a picture of where he parked, which was a neighborhood about a block north of his complex. Officials say they found the vehicle, looked inside and saw a shoe with mud on it, along with latex gloves that were the same color as the ones spotted down by the ravine behind Britton's apartment.
The affidavit states Britton consented to a search of his apartment. During the search, police were told to go to the north side of the apartment complex. When officials looked over a wooden fence about two yards from Britton's building, they noticed a figure that appeared to be the size of an adult's body wrapped in a black cloth.
"The cloth appeared to be a bedsheet, which had tree leaves that appeared to have been purposefully scattered on top of the sheet," the affidavit states.
Police say they climbed over the fence and an officer grabbed the cloth, which covered a human foot that was still flexible.
According to the affidavit, Britton was placed in hand restraints by an officer that was accompanying Britton at his apartment. Britton was read his Miranda rights and was asked if there was anything he wanted to change about his story. Police say Britton's demeanor was calm and unexpressive.
The affidavit states the body was then located over the fence line. It was identified as being that of Hood from the unique tattoos. Police say her body had been wrapped in plastic and again in a black sheet.
"It was decided not to unravel the entire body, therefore the cause of death is unknown at this time," the affidavit states. "However, it was described there being a lot of blood contained underneath the plastic wrap."
Police say they then conducted a second interview with Britton while he as at the police department. He reportedly gave the same account as before, but after about an hour of talking, officials say his story changed.
"Britton stated while Hood and the child were at his apartment, he was in the kitchen alone, thinking about his ex-girlfriend and the breakup he had just suffered recently." the affidavit states. "While Britton was alone with his thoughts, he became angrier and angrier. Britton explained how Hood approached him and playfully tugged on his ear, which is something his ex-girlfriend would do. He stated he went into a 'fit of rage.' While Hood had her back to him, Britton grabbed a glass bottle of Stella Rose. With the glass
bottle in his hand, he approached Hood from behind and smashed the bottle against the back of Hood's head, causing her to fall backward to the floor. He then knelt to her body
and punched her one time in the face with his closed fist. He then claimed to have put his hands around Hood's throat and began to 'strangle' her. Britton then admitted to reaching over and grabbing a hammer that was nearby and striking Hood in the head over and over until the wooden handle broke."
Police say Britton was unable to recall how many times he hit Hood in the head with the hammer. The affidavit states Britton stood up and believed Hood was dead. He then reportedly claimed to be suicidal and attempted to kill himself with a knife and pistol.
"He went on to explain how he had a knife and had intended to hold the point of the blade against his chest and then run into the wall," the affidavit states. "He was unable to accomplish this and then he decided to recover a firearm he had just purchased that same day and had intended to shoot himself. As he was holding the gun to his head, he heard a knock at the door and responded. He explained how he quickly covered up the body and attempted to disguise the crime scene before answering the door. The person knocking was asking what the 'commotion' was. Britton provided an answer that he was okay, and the bystander left."
The affidavit states Britton then admitted to loading up the baby Hood had brought over and driving them back to Hood's mother's apartment. Britton then reportedly returned to his apartment.
Police say Britton walked into this apartment and heard Hood calling his name. Realizing she was still alive, police say Britton admitted to then stabbing Hood multiple times. The affidavit states Britton then wrapped Hood's body up in trash bas, tape and a bed sheet.
Around 3 a.m., Tuesday morning, police say Britton picked up Hood's body and walked out of his complex. He reportedly claimed he got scared by another resident walking around the complex which caused him to thrown Hood's body over the fence.
The affidavit states Britton went back to his apartment only to return to the area where he had disposed of Hood's body around 7 a.m.
"He noticed the body was still in the same place he left it and decided to put leaves on top of the body in an attempt to camouflage the body and leave her remains there," the affidavit states."
Britton was booked into the Smith County Jail for murder and terroristic threat of a family member/household. His bond has been set at $1,050,000.