TYLER, TX – A 19-year-old Texas man, Jamaurea Jermaine Britton, was apprehended on Tuesday following his alleged confession to a brutal murder. The victim, 18-year-old Dejah Hood, was a high school student who was reported missing by her family early Tuesday morning after she failed to return home from an outing with friends, including Britton.
Upon arrival at Britton’s apartment for questioning, law enforcement officers discovered blood traces and found Hood’s body concealed in trash bags, tape, and a bedsheet behind his apartment complex. The details of the gruesome crime were revealed in an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by local media.
Britton reportedly confessed to the murder, providing a chilling account of his actions. He claimed to have picked up Hood and a one-year-old child she was babysitting on Monday night under the pretense of needing help with packing for a move. Once at his apartment, Britton said he was alone in the kitchen, brooding over a recent breakup, and growing increasingly angry.
According to the affidavit, Britton’s rage was triggered when Hood playfully tugged on his ear, a gesture his ex-girlfriend often made. In response, Britton allegedly attacked Hood with a glass bottle, punched and strangled her, and repeatedly hit her in the head with a hammer until its handle broke.
Britton’s confession also included a failed suicide attempt and a disturbing interaction with a neighbor who had heard the commotion. After hiding Hood’s body and assuring the neighbor he was fine, Britton remembered the toddler watching a movie on his bed. He decided to return the child to its mother’s house.
Upon his return, Britton claimed to have heard Hood calling his name. Realizing she was still alive, he allegedly stabbed her multiple times. He then concealed her body and discarded it behind his apartment around 3 a.m., returning later to cover it with leaves.
Britton is currently held on a $1.05 million bond in the Smith County Jail, facing charges of murder and terroristic threat of family/household.