Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Detectives Grill Woman Over Girl's Murder: 'I'm Fixin to Kill Her!'

Episode Date: February 8, 2025

Tyshael Martin faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted of the June 2024 murder of nine-year-old Jamaria Sessions, the daughter of her boyfriend. The Lake County State Attorney said Martin beat, starved and sicced a Rotweiler on Jamaria. Her father, Lojuan Sessions, also faces charges in her death. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy breaks down Martin's police interrogation in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW:Remove your personal information from the web at https://joindeleteme.com/crimefix and use code CrimeFix for 20% off!DeleteMe international Plans: https://international.joindeleteme.comHost:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this law and crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Do you see all the marks all over her body? Yes. Her autopsy report is over 26 pages long because they have to identify all these marks. And a lot of these marks on her body are pinch marks. A Florida woman in the hot seat accused of abusing and killing her boyfriend's nine-year-old daughter, even sicking a Rottweiler on her. I go over the horrifying details of the death of Jamaria Sessions and the unbelievable interrogation of Tyshael Martin.

I just want to say I didn't cause her death. I didn't kill her. I didn't do murder her. I didn't do none of that. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Jameria Sessions was a nine-year-old girl who had family who loved her. But sadly, prosecutors in Lake County, Florida, near Orlando, say the people Jameria lived with were not taking care of her and are responsible for her life coming to a horrific end. One of those people is Tyshale Martin, the girlfriend of Jameria's father. A three-hour-long interrogation of Martin with detectives in Lake County just became public because of how open records laws work in Florida. The state attorney wants Tyshale Martin put to death for Jameria's murder. The prosecutor said Martin beat the little girl, starved her, and even sicked the family's 103-pound Rottweiler on her.

Now, I know you're thinking, how does this even happen? How? Jameria was living with her father, Lawange Sessions, and his girlfriend, who was Tyshale Martin, in a home where authorities say she endured severe, prolonged abuse. Documents outline how this nine-year-old girl suffered repeated physical punishment, malnutrition, and even a brutal attack inflicted by that dog. A couple of weeks before Jameria's death, her father left her and her other siblings in the care of Tyshale Martin after the couple had a heated argument and the relationship basically collapsed. On June 17th, Taishail called 911 after finding Jameria cold to the touch in her bed. EMTs saw

a number of injuries all over Jameria's body in various stages of healing and called the sheriff's office to investigate. That same day, Taishail consented to a search of her cell phone, which showed messages where the prosecutor says she bragged about creative ways she disciplined Jamaria. After two full months of investigating, the Lake County Sheriff's Office had enough evidence to arrest Teixeira and bring her down to the station for questioning. I'll go ahead and cuff you, alright? I'll explain it to you in a minute. Then I'm going to pat you down. I'm going to go ahead and tighten these up, okay? I have a brief at home that I'm supposed to put my arm on.

Okay. Put it off for the moment. All right. Put my arm on. You got anything on you? No. All right, let me put your chest right here. I'm going to take your hat off for a sec.

I'm going to let you shut up a little bit. See your waistband? We're good. Joe, you online? Huh? Did you know that your personal data is being harvested and sold online by data brokers? Yes, anybody can buy your personal information. When this happens, you are at risk for a whole host of things like identity theft,

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so your information doesn't find its way back on there after the first removal. And honestly, using Delete.me has given me peace of mind about my family too, because if someone buys your data from a data broker, they can see information about your relatives as well. So right now, you can get 20% off Delete.me and protect your personal data when you go to joindeleteme.com slash crimefix and use promo code crimefix at checkout. That's joindeleteme.com slash crimefix promo code crimefix. At the start of the interrogation, the detectives give Tyshale Martin a chance to come clean. You're the only person arrested, so we kind of want to hear your story. We think that there's more people involved in this that should be sitting in the chair

you're sitting with, too. So, I want to hear from you. What happened? Honestly, I can't say how she passed away. When I found her, she was sleeping. All I can say is, you know, she did receive whoopings. The girls told me that she fell that day when I was asleep. When I was sleeping, I did not witness that fall.

I don't know how she passed. I don't know how she passed away. I honestly don't. Okay. How did she get the pinch marks all over her body? I have pinched her before, but from what I saw, I didn't pinch. I didn't do all of that. Did anybody else pinch her?

Yeah. Who? Dad. Dad? When did Dad leave the house? I want to say Thursday. I believe it was Thursday. I don't know which day it was he came back because that was unannounced.

Like, any time I would put him out, it would just, like, sneak back into the house. So I don't remember exactly which day that was. But the day that I asked him to leave, I believe was Thursday. So you heard right there, Tyshale Martin blamed Joe Maria's father, LaJuan Sessions, for the pinch marks. Prosecutors will later say that LaJuan is also to blame for his daughter's death. But I'll tell you more about that in a bit. Detectives do not believe Tyshale Martin is telling the truth, so they try a different approach. So what kind of abuse would, or what kind of discipline would LaJuan use on Jamaria? What do you mean, like use? Like whoopings, timeouts?

Like if she got in trouble. Like if she got in trouble. Like if she got in trouble for something, what would be the recourse that LaJuan would do? I mean initially to start out with maybe having to run in place. or they would have to stand on the wall sometimes. And then eventually resulted into a whooping. They just wouldn't listen? Like you tell them the running place and they would do it for a minute or two and then that would turn into a whooping or what do you mean?

If they said that they didn't want, like told him that they didn't want to do it anymore or whatever like that, yeah, then it would turn into a whooping. Okay. And when you said that you disciplined her, how was your discipline? Initially, I would just contact him a lot of the times and ask him what did he prefer her do. I would honestly let him talk to her on the phone or, you know, he would, you know, talk to her on the camera. A lot of times he would just beep in and talk to her over the camera and she would listen to him through there and I whooped her before. Honestly, I yell a lot. I yell a lot to try to scare them to get my phone across. Now, this piques the interest of the detectives. They're curious about why Jameria needed so much discipline in Tyshale's mind. The detectives ask what type of behavior justified this level of punishment.

When you say things, what things? What were they doing? She took peppermint oil and would put it in the girl's makeup sponges. So like peppermint. Yeah. So, like, yeah, she would purposely piss around the house saying that she didn't want to go to the toilet. They were stealing the other kids stuff purposely just hiring it to basically. She knew what she was doing because she was saying, I want to I don't want to be good like the other kids. I want to be bad. So it's like, and a lot of that stuff I had to record because it was something I'd never seen before.

Right. And when you say record, what were you recording? Just her behavior or saying things or acting a certain way? I would record, like I would try to talk to them and get an understanding, and they would, like, just say stuff like their mom is telling them to do those things and stuff, and I felt like I never heard a child say that before, so I would record that type of stuff so I can send to dad or just my mom or just somebody, like, just be a witness of, wow, like, this is what I'm going through.

Then the detectives grill Tyshael Martin on how Jamaria could have sustained so many injuries. I understand that Dania and Kishore were telling me that she had sprained her ankle. How did Jamaria sprain her ankle and when? She told me that she tripped over the dog food downstairs when she was walking in the living room. So the downstairs living room? Okay. And then how did she get the burns to her feet and her back? Azaria said it was from the hot water, from the hair.

What was she doing with the hair? I understand Azaria does hair, but I'm trying to see if you understand. She has to dip it in hot water. And apparently she had moved or something. Do you know about how her lip got busted or her teeth got broken out of her mouth? I thought it was from the treadmill. Why do you think it was the treadmill? Because that's what she's, I believe she told Mario that.

But detectives already know why Jamaria had those injuries. Vivint Home Security provided detectives with 2,828 videos from both the interior and exterior of the family's home. And the detectives asked Martin about those videos. You know, and there's another video, too, of her running in place. You had her running in place, and then for whatever reason, you kick her from behind and she trips over the bag of dog food. That's when she sprained her ankle.

I mean, that's because the next video with her in it, she's wearing an ankle wrap. It fits. There's no video of her wandering through the downstairs living room, you know, tripping over a bag of dog food. There's a video of her wearing a wrap on her foot, of her running in place and you picking her and her falling over a bag of dog food. So it's kind of half-truth and then that's... If she sprung her ankle at that time, I did not know...

No, that's fine, but I'm telling you that you kicked her over a bag of dog food and she may have sprained her ankle at that time, right? But there's no video of her wandering around the room. I mean, I will tell you this, that your cameras are top notch. We got 2820 videos that I had to go through. And it captured a lot, a lot inside your home. I know that LaJuan doesn't know the door code to your door. I know that because there's so many videos

of him standing outside like an idiot, waiting on someone to open the door for him. But that was before we just got it. We just recently got it done, and he was the one that had to be there with the guy to program everything. I also know that he stood in front of your door on several occasions like an idiot, not knowing the code.

I also know every time your doors were open and when they were closed, I had every video of every person that's been in your house, from the pest control guy that you canceled when your mom was there, to LaJuan, to Dushara's boyfriend and Danai's boyfriend they snuck out and snuck in. From them smoking weed to them drinking alcohol. I have all of that. Right. I mean, he told me that he's the one that set the code for the front door.

The side door, he don't have the code for that. He didn't have the code for that one. He spends a lot of time outside standing in front of the door looking like an idiot for someone that has a code. Maybe the chain was on the door. This is why I wanted to talk with you, though. You can see you spent two and a half months figuring out what happened. The videos, videos texts reports from

carnival I wanted to ask you why you're kind of disclosing some of that what was going through your head who else is involved are you the only person who should be sitting in that seat or should someone else be is there a reason behind this? Is there an explanation? There's nothing that I did physically that could have caused her death. That's just... I mean, I know what he told me, so that's what, you know, I was leaning more towards, but... What he told you? Well not me but told her. He like basically let her know that he was gonna kill him. So I mean I didn't know if that was a scare tactic or what but honestly... So what do you think the one did? Nothing that could have caused her to die. What do you think LaJuan did? I don't know.

You see the marks on her. Right. Who caused those marks? You, LaJuan, someone else? I mean, I feel like LaJuan did. You feel like he did or you know he did? Only other people it could be is my kids. And I know they didn't do that. Now, these videos are not available to the public because the case is still pending. It hasn't gone to trial yet. And frankly, they sound so horrific that we probably wouldn't be

able to show them to you anyway. A probable cause affidavit says 95 videos were deleted that were captured on and specific to June 12, 2024 by a single user on the account. Additionally, this detective observed six video files dated June 15, 2024, approximately 2350 to 2357 hours, which shows Jameria Sessions being viciously attacked by the family pet, a 103-pound Rottweiler, as Jameria was just out of frame. However, Tyshale Martin could be seen holding the leash of the dog and is heard encouraging the dog to bite Jameria Sessions as Jameria laid on the floor, ending with Jameria Sessions attempting to stand up in the doorway coming into frame. The next clip shows Jameria Sessions staggering nude

and disheveled. And just so you know, she had a laceration behind her ear that was looked like it was caused by a dog bite. So across her head, she had a bite mark here and a part mark here where he grabbed her across the back of her head. And when that incident occurred, they said it was you and it was Aria and Jamaria in that room. Did someone bite her? Not that I know of. Okay. Were you telling the dog to bite her? Because that's what it sounds like in the video. You're holding the dog back with a leash. I'm going to let you get her. I'm going to let you get her. No. No. I probably used it as a scare tactic or something like that. No. Heck no. Okay.

So how did she have the puncture behind her ear? I didn't see, I'm not aware of that. I didn't know anything about it. She did. She got a puncture from behind her ear and across the side of her face was like a big dog bite. Seven was a big dog. Yeah, but I wouldn't do that.

Okay. Is there anything else you think we should know that we didn't ask you? I mean, I just want to say I didn't cause her death. I didn't kill her. I didn't murder her. I didn't do none of that. Now back to that affidavit and more of what detectives said. The video showed from the late evening of June 15th into the early morning hours of June 16th. Jameria's hair, previously in a partial bun, was now messy and her extensions were falling out of her hair. It appeared that the dog had bitten the child's head, pulling at her hair at the command of Tyshale Martin. Following this clip, Jameria Sessions is commanded to stand in the room with

her arms up by Tyshale Martin. Jameria Sessions exhibited an orbital sway, appearing to be disoriented, similar to being intoxicated, and leaned forward to pick up a blanket to cover herself. This prompted Tyshale Martin to deliver a kick to the rear of the child, causing her to collapse to the floor. The child lay motionless, moaning in pain as Tyshale Martin continued to kick her hip and eventually her stomach area at full force. Jameria, according to this affidavit, couldn't get up. It sounds like she was being tortured.

It continues. When the child did not get up, Tyshale Martin then grabbed the child by her hair, pulling her across the floor with minimal resistance by Jameria Sessions, who appeared to be disoriented and motionless. The child was dragged near the stairs, which is where the dog attack occurred, which was just out of frame. Tyshale Martin continued to command the child, Jameria Sessions, to stand up, and as Jameria could not physically comply, Jameria was repeatedly shaken by Tyshale Martin.

The next video clip begins with Tyshale Martin stating what sounds like, I'm fixin' to kill her. Jameria Sessions likely died in the overnight hours of June 16th. Despite the video evidence, Martin said this to detectives. I can honestly say I didn't abuse her. I mean, what is that? Despite the video evidence, Martin said this to detectives. Now, Jameria wasn't Tyshael Martin's biological daughter, but she was her main caregiver. Detectives wonder why she hasn't asked about how the little girl died. You never asked the whole interview how she died.

Because when I have, everyone just don't tell me anything. But you haven't asked. I asked her. I was saying, like, I didn't know how she passed away and stuff. So she died from her injuries. So it's kind of like a death by a thousand cuts. You ever heard of that? You get a little paper pen and it doesn't kill you, right? You get a lot of them.

Well, then now your immune system is jacked up because it has to fix these things. It requires energy from your body. so you break down muscle, which breaks down proteins that go in your kidney. It's a whole thing, right? And then she has all these injuries that are staggered, historically long. So she's been whipped, she's been pinched, she's been punched, teeth broken,

bit in the back of the head by a dog, possibly. She has all these injuries that her little body is trying to fix, right? All at one time. It's a lot. And then she's not given nutrition. She's not given proper amounts of water. She's not given proper amounts of food. And we know this because during the autopsy, we empty their stomachs. We check their bladders. I know what color her urine is. Her urine looked like coffee. And she had so little fluids in her body that we barely

didn't get enough blood because her body didn't have enough hydration. So we know she was dehydrated, we know she wasn't fed, and we know she has all these injuries that she's trying to recover from. During the interrogation, Tyshale Martin reveals what Jameria did that day to upset her.

I'm tired of talking to you, listening, do what you're supposed to do. You know, a lot of times I just felt like I was the one protecting her, you know, for her to turn around and not listen to me when I'm the one keeping you protected from your dad. So I did have moments that I did react to being tired of her not listening to me. Do you remember what she had not listened to on that day? That's what I was trying to think of. I think it was the fact that she was being sexual.

I think it was the sexual thing that made me react like that because i felt like she's too little of a girl to be talking about and asking my older girls about sex and asking them why they want tape penis and they and stuff like that i just probably was was overwhelmed with all of that. Finally, Tyshale Martin asks what she's being charged with and what the detectives tell her surprises her. Am I able to call my mom? Yeah, you will be able to call your mom. We'll have to get you booked in and you can definitely call your mom. And what are you saying I'm being charged with?

Premeditated murder, first degree, which is the top. And then there's aggravated child abuse. And then child murder. Why am I being charged with premeditated murder? Well, because some of the statements that you made while you were attacking Jamaria about killing her? Scare tactics. Scare tactics was also premeditation. It's scare tactics and if you say it and then it happens, what does that look like? It's crazy because I only said that because he said that and I was just

trying to remember what the dad said. I get it, but if you say I'm going to kill you and then the child's dead the next day from injuries caused potentially by you, what does that look like? It looks bad, but that's not what happened. Jim? Honestly, do you think that you're at all accountable for her death?

In your heart? I just, I mean, when you say accountable, I feel like I probably could have did more to, you know, possibly prevent things from happening. You know, but the situation, you know, me dealing with my kids, you did, I mean,

me have a certain way I deal with my kids. This is your certain way of how you deal with your kids. Me not wanting to interfere and cause more trouble. And then on top of the threats, you know, like I do feel like I could have possibly done more as far as her coming to her death. I don't feel like I'm accountable for that. LaJuan Sessions, Jamaria's father, is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child in her death. An affidavit says he was complicit in the abuse and did nothing to protect her.

The affidavit states, in text message conversations between LaJuan and Tyshale, which lasted weeks, they often joked about the abuse, made comments about boot camp, and creating a torturous environment in which Jameria would suffer long sessions of extreme exercise and extreme physical abuse far beyond traditional corporal punishment. Both Tyshale Martin and LaJuan Sessions are being held in the Lake County Jail as they await trial. Prior to Jameria's death, Florida DCF received complaints about her well-being, even requesting a welfare check at one point, but no deputy was sent and the case was closed without action. And one of the saddest parts about this case,

Jameria was actually in the custody of her maternal grandmother after her mother passed away when LaJuan Sessions was in prison. After he was released, he took custody of Jameria from her grandmother. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Janette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.