Tyler residents will hear the next phase of a high‑profile murder case this week. A jury on Thursday found 22‑year‑old Jamaurea Jermaine Britton guilty of capital murder in the 2023 death of 18‑year‑old Dejah Hood. The court recessed Friday and will resume sentencing on Monday morning, with prosecutors saying the punishment phase could run through Wednesday or Thursday. Britton now faces either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors called several witnesses who described a pattern of harassment, controlling behavior, and violence by Britton toward multiple women he dated or knew. Darlisha Hood, a former high‑school girlfriend (no relation to the victim), testified that Britton became physically aggressive, broke her cellphone, left a bruise on her arm, and repeatedly threatened her with text messages. Her mother, Trina Arps, recounted property damage at their home, including a shattered window, a damaged vehicle and a slashed tire after Britton allegedly threw a rock.
Former classmates also took the stand. Ayada Starling, who dated Britton for three to four months in 2022, said he grew increasingly possessive, demanded constant phone contact, and harassed her at work, ultimately leading to her termination. She described an incident where Britton threw her phone under a school bus and created fake social‑media accounts in her name. Amaya Moon, who had a romantic relationship with Britton in high school, testified that he sent threatening messages from multiple numbers, hacked her accounts, punctured a tire at a party, and physically confronted a man she was speaking with, prompting her mother’s intervention.
Moon’s mother, Angela Moon, a longtime Tyler High School teacher and track coach, testified that staff were instructed to watch for Britton after prior incidents in which he sought out Darlisha Hood on campus. Law‑enforcement investigator Chris Miller of the Smith County District Attorney’s Office described a prior investigation into vehicle damage at the Arps residence and recalled warning Britton that violence was unacceptable.
Two Tyler Police Department officers testified about a 2020 incident in which Britton reported a home invasion at his residence. Officer Ethan Sala noted the 911 call implicated Darlisha Hood, while Officer Keith Gardner said the scene appeared staged, with broken glass placed on a sofa cushion rather than an authentic break‑in.
Britton’s defense attorneys highlighted the absence of a father figure in his upbringing, but the prosecution focused on the extensive testimony linking his violent and controlling conduct to the fatal attack on Dejah Hood.
What’s next: The sentencing phase resumes Monday morning. The court expects to present arguments and victim‑impact statements through Wednesday or Thursday, after which a judge will issue a sentence that could be either capital punishment or life without parole.
Sources: kltv.com
