How Tito Jackson Helped Fight for Justice After His Ex-Wife Dee Dee's Murder

Dee Dee Jackson drowned in her boyfriend Don Bohana's pool in August 1994

Even after their divorce, Tito Jackson was committed to fighting for justice for his ex-wife, Delores Martes "Dee Dee" Jackson, after her death in August 1994.

On Sept. 15, Tito died at age 70 after suffering an apparent heart attack. The original Jackson 5 member's death was confirmed by his sons Taj, Taryll and TJ in a post on Instagram. "Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being," they wrote.

Tito was preceded in death by his ex-wife, Dee Dee. The two married straight out of high school in 1972, when Dee Dee was 17 and Tito was 18. They later welcomed three sons before separating in 1989. In a 2017 episode of 20/20, the singer said their marriage ended due to "differences."

Related: Tito Jackson's 3 Kids: All About TJ, Taryll and Taj

After their relationship ended, however, Tito was rocked by the unexpected death of his high school sweetheart at age 39 on Aug. 27. Dee Dee drowned in a pool at the home of her boyfriend Don Bohana, but an autopsy in September of that year found there was evidence of “blunt force trauma,” and her death appeared to be “non-accidental," per ABC News.

Tito and his sons never believed that Dee Dee drowned in the pool because of her fear of water. "My first question was, 'Drown?' What was she doing in the water?" Tito said on 20/20. "You know, 'cause Dee Dee and I, neither of us swam."

In the same interview, he also said he believed that "the bruises and the damage" on his ex-wife's body suggested there may have been foul play involved.

Bohana, who was convicted of the second-degree murder of Dee Dee in November 1998, has always maintained that Dee Dee was comfortable around the pool. "I'll go to my grave saying that she could swim because Delores could swim," he told 20/20.

Both Bohana and Dee Dee were intoxicated on the night of Dee Dee's death, and he alleged that the bruises on her body were due to his attempts to pull her out of the pool when he realized she was in distress.

However, the Jackson family believed the couple had a dispute over money, though no evidence was ever found. In his ABC News interview, Tito said, "She was a Jackson, and that's what he knew."

Related: Tito Jackson Suffered Medical Emergency Near New Mexico Mall Before Death, Police Say

Tito's sons and his mother, Katherine, filed a wrongful death suit against Bohana in 1995. The Jacksons' family attorney, Brian Oxman, took on the case and began a media campaign to have the investigation into Dee Dee's death reopened.

Bohana ultimately spent 24 years in prison before he was released on parole in December 2022. Throughout his time behind bars, he has maintained that he did not kill Dee Dee, but he does feel he could have helped her.

"It just pains me very much," he told 20/20. "Had I not been drinking, there's not a doubt that I would have been able to save her."

As for Tito, he said in 2017 that losing Dee Dee was the "coldest day of our lives."

In the years since the family lost Dee Dee, Tito and his sons have worked together to honor her memory through the Dee Dee Jackson Foundation. Founded by her sons and supported by her ex-husband, the foundation seeks to help people process their grief through music therapy.

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