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Bronx Teen Accused of Killing Mom Tells Cops He Shot Her While She Slept

By  Trevor Kapp Dan Rivoli and Aidan Gardiner | September 27, 2012 11:09am | Updated on September 27, 2012 7:34pm

MOUNT EDEN — The 16-year-old boy accused of killing his mother and stuffing her body in a plastic bin admitted to the brutal slaying, officials said.

Darwin Jackson, named in the criminal complaint as "Dee Jackson," was arrested hours after Tihesha Savage’s body was discovered near a dumpster on Macombs Road Wednesday morning.

The teen admitted to shooting his 34-year-old mother in the head and then beating her with a bat to make sure she was dead, authorities said.

"I took my loaded gun [and] shot at her while she was sleeping in her bed," Jackson said, according to the criminal complaint.

"After I fired, I saw her body twitch, she tried to get up and then I started hitting her in the head with a wooden bat numerous times," he added.

Tihesha Savage was killed by her 16-year-old son, officials said.
Tihesha Savage was killed by her 16-year-old son, officials said.
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Facebook/Tisha Savage-Ramirez

Jackson was arraigned Thursday morning in Bronx Criminal Court and is due back in court Oct. 31, the Bronx district attorney's office said.

Jackson's lawyer did not immediately return a call for comment.

Savage and Jackson, who lived at 1447 Macombs Rd. with Savage's younger daughter, had gotten into an argument before Jackson allegedly killed his mother, the NYPD said.

"The girl was crying at seven in the morning [Wednesday] for a long time," said Segunda Diaz, 70, who lives in the apartment below Savage's, referring to the woman's daughter. "Then I heard banging, something hit against the wall."

When Savage's body was later discovered, police said she had trauma to the back of the head.

The cause of death is under investigation. The medical examiner's office did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Jackson, who had a Myspace.com profile with the handle “scarfacekilla01,” was charged with second-degree manslaughter, murder and criminal possession of a weapon, officials said.

Police sources said Savage and Jackson had a history of fighting. In July 2011, cops were called to their home after the two were heard engaged in a heated argument.

No one was arrested then.

Jackson had other run-ins with the law in recent months. He was arrested twice this year for criminal possession of marijuana, sources said.

Neighbors said Jackson was a good kid who became lost as he grew older. They said he had practiced magic tricks when he was younger and then took up basketball, weightlifting and boxing.

But then something changed about a year ago, neighbors said.

"I don't know what happened to Darwin," said one neighbor who identified herself as Kim. "He always spoke to you but never looked you in the face. Never look you in the eyes."

Neighbors also said he bought a BB gun, sometimes shooting down the hallways of the apartment building and even at passersby on the street.

Naiquon Mackey, 17, who lives in Jackson's building and has known him since they were toddlers, said Jackson was often angry or scowling.

"He's a quiet, angry person," Mackey said. "He kept everything to himself. He was a loner."

Still, Mackey said the killing was a shock.

"We're all not sure why he did it, what happened and what caused it," Mackey said.

Other neighbors remembered a young man who would greet everyone warmly.

"He was very respectful," said Carmen Calo, who lives across the street. "That's why it's so shocking.... He was quiet. He'd say hi to everyone. No one thought he'd do something like this."

Savage would always talk about her children, neighbors said.

"She was a wonderful mother," said Erica Williams, a 32-year-old neighbor.

Carmen Acevedo, who lives on the fourth floor of the Macombs Road building, said Savage was a pleasant fixture on the block.

“She was so friendly,” Acevedo, 42, said. “She was smiling all the time. She’d always say hi.”