Tyler man admits to killing missing woman

TYLER – An arrest warrant affidavit provides new details in the death of a missing 18-year-old woman who was found Tuesday afternoon in a ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments in Tyler. Jamaurea Britton, 19, of Tyler, was arrested on Tuesday for murder, according to his arrest affidavit, after a body was recovered near his apartment and later confirmed to be Deja Hood. Hood was reported missing by her mother earlier that day after she had been out with friends and disappeared. Her mother told police she recalled her friend to be Britton, according to our news partners at KETK.

Britton initially told authorities, according to the affidavit, that Hood had come over to his apartment with a 1-year-old child she was babysitting to help him move and later left.

The affidavit said when a Tyler police officer arrived at his apartment to ask questions after Hood was reported missing, the word “LOSER” was spray painted in black on the entryway wall.

“Britton claimed the spray paint was done by an ex-girlfriend of his a few days ago,” the affidavit said. “Upon closer look at the spray paint marks, I could clearly see within the fray of the carpet to be a red substance similar to a saturated blood spot.”

The affidavit said that Britton denied the blood was human and claimed his dog had a medical episode.

Britton was questioned by police about Hood and gave a statement that “has now been confirmed to be false information, as he later admits to me during a second interview,” according to the affidavit.

While police were at Britton’s apartment, the affidavit said officers recovered a body from the ravine, and immediately placed Britton under hand restraints. He was taken to the Tyler Police Department where he was interviewed a second time.

“While speaking with Britton for over an hour, hearing the same statement he made to me previously, I gained his attention and explained to him how he had been lying to me this whole time,” the affidavit said.

According to the affidavit, Britton then confessed to the murder of Hood.

“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,” the affidavit said. “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.’”

The affidavit said Britton grabbed a bottle of Stella Rose while her back was turned and smashed the bottle against her head causing her to fall to the floor. Britton then reportedly punched her in the face and attempted to strangle her before grabbing a nearby hammer and striking Hood with it repeatedly.

Britton then admitted, according to the affidavit, to taking the child she was babysitting, who had been lying in bed watching a children’s movie, back to Hood’s mother’s apartment then drove back to his apartment.

“Britton admitted to entering his apartment and hearing Hood say his name,” the affidavit said.

Britton then recovered a kitchen knife and reportedly admitted to stabbing her to police before he moved the body over a wooden fence and “out of sight” and later returned to “put leaves on top of the body in an attempt to camouflage.”

Britton remains in the Smith County Jail as of Thursday, where he is being held on a $1 million bond for murder.