State to seek death penalty for accused Montverde child killer

TAVARES, Fla.— The woman charged with the horrific murder of her boyfriend’s daughter earlier this year is now facing the death penalty.

Assistant State Attorney Thomas Wieczorek filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty Oct. 8 in the case against Tyshael Martin, of Montverde, and stated five aggravating factors in the case.

The capital felony was committed while the defendant was engaged, or was an accomplice, in the commission of, or an attempt to commit aggravated child abuse.

The capital felony was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel.

The capital felony was a homicide and was committed in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification.

The victim of the capital felony was a person less than 12 years of age.

The victim of the capital felony was particularly vulnerable because the defendant stood in a position of familial or custodial authority over the victim.

Martin, 35, is accused of ordering a 103-pound Rottweiler to attack 9-year-old Jamaria Sessions and savagely kicking and beating the girl during a reign of abuse that lasted from October 2023 until she died in June, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

Martin was arrested Aug. 28, for first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and child neglect. Jamaria’s father, Lojuan Sessions, was arrested just a few days later in Orange County; he is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and both suspects are being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.

Video surveillance in the home captured the torture and abuse of the once-smiley 9-year-old who loved animals and yearned to be a veterinarian.

Jamaria Sessions dreamed of being a veterinarian, Grandma Althea Chenault said. Photo courtesy of Althea Chenault

According to the affidavit, Vivint Security provided more than 2,800 videos from inside and outside of the home to Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives. Six video files dated June 15 and timestamped between 11:50 p.m. and 11:57 p.m. showed both Martin and the large dog attacking Jamaria. The following information was taken directly from the affidavit:

(Videos show) “Jamaria Sessions being viciously attacked by the family pet, a 103-pound male rottweiler as Jamaria was just out of frame, however, Tyshael Martin could be seen holding the leash of the dog and is heard encouraging the dog to bite Jamaria Sessions as Jamaria laid on the floor, ending with Jamaria Sessions attempting to stand up in the doorway coming into frame. The next clips show Jamaria Sessions staggering, nude and disheveled. Jamaria’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 Tyshael Martin. Following this clip, Jamaria Sessions is commanded to stand in the room with her arms up by Tyshael Martin. Jamaria Sessions exhibited an orbital sway, appearing to be disorientated, similar to being intoxicated, and leaned forward to pick up a blanket to cover herself. This prompted Tyshael 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 Tyshael Martin continued to kick her hip and eventually her stomach area at full force. When the child did not get up, Tyshael Martin then grabbed the child by her hair, pulling her across the floor, with minimal resistance by Jamaria Sessions, who appeared to be disorientated and motionless. The child was dragged near the stairs, which is where the dog attack occurred, which was just out of frame. Tyshael Martin continued to command the child, Jamaria Sessions, to stand up, and as Jamaria physically could not comply, Jamaria was repeatedly struck and shaken by Tyshael Martin. The next video clip begins with Tyshael Martin stating what sounds like, ‘I’m fixing to kill her.’”

Jamaria was found dead less than 30 hours later.

Shortly before 5 a.m. June 17, Lake EMS responded to 16017 Harbar Oaks Drive, Montverde, Martin and Sessions’ home, on a report of an unresponsive child. The would-be fourth grader was pronounced deceased by Lake EMS, and they observed multiple injuries to Jamaria including a “significant” number of abrasions, small punctures, burns, possible bite marks and bruising covering her body, all in various stages of healing. Lake EMS requested the Lake County Sheriff’s Office respond after noting rigor mortis in Jamaria’s jaw. According to Florida State University, if a body feels cold and stiff, death likely occurred between 8 and 36 hours prior.

During an on-scene preliminary exam of Jamaria by the medical examiner, injuries were noted all over her small body, consistent with abuse. These injuries included superficial lacerations indicative of being pinched with significant force, her face was swollen, some of her teeth were broken, she had blood in her left ear along with a penetration wound behind her ear, and contusions all over her body. On June 18, during Jamaria’s autopsy, the medical examiner noted the number of superficial injuries covering the majority of her body, and advised it appeared to be torture inflicted by fingernails and injuries consistent with being struck by something, possibly wire.

Tyshael Martin was arraigned on Sept. 23.
PHOTO: Marilyn M. Aciego/Inside Lake

On Sept. 23, Martin and Session were indicted by a grand jury and Inside Lake was in the courtroom when Martin pleaded not guilty to the crimes she is accused of. She claimed to have a meeting scheduled with an attorney, but three weeks later, she still did not have an attorney, according to Lake County Clerk of Court online records. Martin was ordered not to have contact with Jamaria’s next of kin, Althea Chenault, who was at the arraignment with her son, Trane.

Jamaria and her younger sister, Jaliah, lived with Chenault, their maternal grandmother, and their mother, Tadrina Dort while she battled leukemia. Dort beat the leukemia but later died in 2022 from congestive heart failure.  The girls continued to live Chenault after their mother’s death and while Sessions was incarcerated on multiple charges, including child neglect. Sessions had little to do with his two daughters prior to his incarceration, and Chenault told Inside Lake she was shocked when he picked the girls up from their Orange County school in October 2023 without her permission. He would not allow her to see her grandchildren and Chenault has questioned why Sessions was allowed to take the girls but has never been given a thorough explanation, she said. “Nana,” as she was known to the girls, immediately began fighting for permanent custody following her daughter’s death and is still fighting for Jaliah, who is currently living with another maternal family member.

Jamaria, left, Althea “Nana” Chenault and Jaliah. Photo courtesy of Althea Chenault

 

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