Oh my God! What Horror. I remember the radio stations atlking about it the day her body was found. How long had she and Tito been apart/divorced when she was murdered?
Were there ever rumors or evidence of the boyfriend being abusive in their relationship? How old was she?
A Los Angeles man convicted of murder in the drowning death of Tito Jackson's former wife was recently sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Donald Bohana, 61, contended that
Delores "DeeDee" Jackson, 39, had drowned in his swimming pool in August 1994. However, prosecutors suggested she had been beaten and choked. The coroner's report showed she had bruises and cuts all over. Tito Jackson told reporters after the sentencing: "She was just a well-caring mother and these kids were actually robbed of something that nothing can bring back." They have three children.
Jackson's death was initially ruled an accident.
There was a frantic 911 tape recording played on local television stations from Bohana saying there'd been an accident at his home in the upscale Ladera Heights section of L.A. He alleged that Ms. Jackson fell into the pool and was injured when he tried to pull her out with a pool cleaning net, the L.A. Times reported. The paper also said that when police arrived, Ms. Jackson was found propped against a tree.
Ms. Jackson's family publicly stated after the death that she could not swim and was afraid of water.
Sons of Tito Jackson file suit alleging man who owned house where their mother drowned beat and choked her
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n19_v88/ai_17445387/pg_2/
The children of Delores Jackson, former wife of Tito Jackson, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man in whose pool their mother drowned last year.
Ms. Jackson, known as DeeDee, died Aug. 27, 1994 as a result of "asphyxia due to drowning, alcohol intake and blunt force traumatic injuries," according to the county coroner's office. The coroner's report, obtained by JET at the time of death, indicated that
Ms. Jackson had numberous bruises and cuts all over her body that officials said were inconsistent with mere drowning. Officials held Ms. Jackson's boyfriend, Donald Bohana, for questioning but no action has yet been taken against him by the District Attorney's office.
That suit alleges that Bohana was enraged that she wouldn't help him out of his almost $2 million bankruptcy and beat her for four hours and held her underwater. Bohana told officials that he and Jackson were swimming at his home in the elegant Ladera Heights section of L.A. in the middle of the night when he briefly left the pool. When he returned, he said she was at the bottom of the pool.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court by Jackson's three children--Tariano Jackson, 22, Taryll Jackson, 20, and Tito Joe Jackson, 17.
It alleged that Bohana beat Jackson for several hours and choked her before holding her head underwater. The suit also points out that several weeks before the death, Bohana filed for bankruptcy, owing a variety of creditors.
R. Brian Oxman, attorney for Ms. Jackson's children, told JET: "He (Bohana) owed almost $2 million in debt at the time of her death. He had assets of $800,000 and he was in severe financial difficulty. He met her two months before her death. When folks meet members of the Jackson family, they automatically think of money."
He pointed out that Ms. Jackson proudly boasted that her three sons were soon to release an album on their uncle Michael Jackson's label. "She talked them up to a lot of people." The album was set to be released at the end of September. Oxman claims Bohana heard of Ms. Jackson's comments about her sons and attempted to capitalize on a relationship with her. Oxman told JET that Bohana allegedly tried to pressure Ms. Jackson to help him out of his financial difficulty. When she refused, Oxman claims the two ended up fighting for almost four hours. "We believe that immediately upon her arrival Aug. 26th around 11:30 p.m. they started arguing. This was a horrendous fight. She had 58 total injuries if you include scratch marks and bruises."
Daniel Silverberg, attorney for Bohana, could not be reached for comment at JET press time.
Donald Bohana, charged in death of Tito Jackson's ex-wife, Delores; found guilty of murder
The man charged with killing the ex-wife of Tito Jackson was recently found guilty of second-degree murder in Los Angeles. Donald L. Bohana, 62, a Los Angeles businessman, faces 15 years to life for the murder of Delores Jackson on Aug. 27, 1994. Bohana insisted that Ms. Jackson, who was also mother of the singing group 3T, drowned in his backyard swimming pool. However, the coroner's office reported that Ms. Jackson died from "asphyxia due to drowning, alcohol intake and blunt force traumatic injuries." The coroner's report indicated that Ms. Jackson had numerous bruises and cuts all over her body that were inconsistent with mere drowning.
One of the jurors told reporters after the verdict was issued that Bohana's defense was "simply not believable." Tito Jackson, at a news conference, thanked the jury and pointed out that the trial had been very difficult for the Jackson family.
Family members had contended all along that it made no sense for her to have drowned because she could not swim and had such strong fear of water. Shortly after her death, her three sons, Taj, Taryll and T.J., filed a $2 million wrongful death suit against Bohana.
Victoria Pipkin, a spokesperson for the L.A. District Attorney's office, told JET that "the evidence showed she'd been beaten up, then thrown into the pool."
Attorney for the three sons, R. Brian Oxman, told JET at the time the wrongful death suit was filed, "he (Bohana) owed almost $2 million in debt at the time of her death." Oxman alleged that Bohana cultivated a relationship with Ms. Jackson for financial reasons. Bohana is set to be sentenced later this summer.
*** Hope this gives some insight on the late, beautiful Mrs. Delores "Dee Dee" Martes- Jackson.
