Who is Jamaurea Britton? Angry Texas man hit and killed teen, 18, with hammer until its handle broke
TYLER, TEXAS: A 19-year-old Texan, Jamaurea Jermaine Britton, stands accused of the brutal and gruesome murder of 18-year-old Dejah Hood.
The perpetrator was arrested on Tuesday, September 26, after he allegedly confessed to beating, strangling, and ultimately stabbing the victim to death in a "fit of rage."
What prompted an investigation into Dejah Hood disappearance?
The tragic incident unfolded when Hood, a student at John Tyler High School, was reported missing by her family at 12.40 am Tuesday.
She had gone out with friends, including Britton, the previous evening and had not returned home or responded to calls and texts.
Concerned family members alerted the authorities, triggering a harrowing investigation.
Upon arriving at Britton's apartment around 1 pm on Tuesday for questioning, officers discovered traces of blood inside the residence.
The horrifying discovery came when they found Hood's lifeless body wrapped in trash bags, tape, and a bedsheet in a creek bed behind the Hollytree Apartments complex.
What led to the tragic killing of Dejah Hood?
Britton, facing the evidence stacked against him, eventually confessed to the murder. He provided a chilling account of the events leading up to the tragic incident.
According to Britton's confession, he had picked up Hood, who was babysitting a 1-year-old child, from her apartment to help him pack for a move.
However, his emotional turmoil stemming from a recent breakup with his girlfriend took a dark turn when Hood "playfully tugged on his ear," a gesture reminiscent of his ex-girlfriend's behavior. This seemingly innocuous action triggered what Britton described as a "fit of rage."
In the heat of the moment, Britton struck Hood with a glass bottle, causing her to fall to the ground.
He then proceeded to punch and strangle her before using a hammer to repeatedly strike her in the head until the handle snapped.
Jamaurea Jermaine Britton returned to silence Dejah Hood forever
In a disturbing twist, Britton attempted to take his own life with a knife but failed.
He later brandished a gun, which he had acquired earlier that day, threatening self-harm when a concerned neighbor knocked on his door.
Britton temporarily concealed the murder, assuring the neighbor that everything was fine.
However, when he heard Hood calling his name upon returning home, he allegedly realized she was still alive and proceeded to stab her multiple times, ending her life, as per Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Subsequently, Britton meticulously attempted to cover up the crime by wrapping, taping, and moving Hood's body, around 3 am eventually disposing of her remains over a fence “out of sight” and returning around 7 am to conceal the body with leaves.
He now faces charges of murder and terroristic threats to his family/household. Britton is being held in the Smith County Jail on a bond of $1.05 million.