Who was Tito Jackson married to? All about his wife and kids as Jackson 5 member dies aged 70

Musician Tito Jackson passed away on September 15 at the age of 70. His longtime family friend and former manager, Steve Manning, first revealed the news of his demise to Entertainment Tonight. While the exact cause of death remains undisclosed at the time of writing, the Jackson 5 member reportedly succumbed to a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma, as per Manning’s statement to the outlet.

Born Toriano Adaryll Jackson, Tito was the elder brother of Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, and the legendary Michael Jackson, among other siblings, with whom he founded the pop band The Jackson 5 in the 1960s. Later, the same group came to be known as The Jacksons.

Tito Jackson passed away on September 14. (Image via X/etnow)

Primarily a vocalist and guitarist, Tito Jackson was married to the late Delores Martes for over two decades, and the couple had three children.

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Exploring Tito Jackson’s personal life in the wake of his demise

Tito Jackson met Delores Martes, fondly called Dee Dee, while they studied at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. They tied the knot right after graduating high school in June 1972, when he was only 18. However, the pair later got divorced in 1993. While not much is known about Martes, her death at the age of 39 made headlines in August 1994.

Back then, her lifeless body was discovered floating in a swimming pool at the home of her boyfriend and Los Angeles businessman Don Bohana in Ladera Heights, California. Initially, the death was ruled accidental; however, upon further investigation, Bohana was found guilty of second-degree murder.

In November 1998, he was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison while continuing to maintain his innocence and was even denied parole multiple times. During a September 2017 interview with ABC News’ 20/20, Tito Jackson shared how his ex-wife’s death was the “coldest day of our lives” and recalled being both “sad” and “horrified” at receiving the news from his three sons he shared with Delores.

In the same interview, Tito reminisced about his first meeting with his former spouse. He remembered that the “outgoing” Martes ran up to “shy” him in school and wished him a “Happy Birthday” while giving a peck on his cheek. The I Want You Back singer even mentioned how Dee Dee was like a “sister” to all the Jackson siblings and everybody “loved” her.

Tito Jackson and Delores Martes were parents to three sons, Toriano Adaryll Jackson II, fondly called Taj (born August 4, 1973), Taryll Adren Jackson (born August 8, 1975), and Tito Joe “TJ” Jackson (born July 16, 1978).

Together, the brothers founded an R&B/pop-rock band called 3T, known for its 1995 album Brotherhood and singles Why and I Need You. They were mentored by their paternal uncle, the late Michael Jackson. The sibling trio also featured in The Jacksons: Next Generation.

Taj has been married to Thanya S.C.O. since 2013. Taryll, on the other hand, has been dating Breana Cabral since 2006, and the pair has two sons, Bryce Connor (born February 2008) and Adren Michael (born February 2011).

As for TJ, he has been married to Frances Casey since 2007, and the pair has four kids: Royal Tito “Ro Ro” Joseph (born October 1999), Delores Dior “Dee Dee” Jackson (born March 2008), Dallas Jordan Michael “Jo Jo” Jackson (born November 2010), and Rio Tito Joseph Jackson (born March 2015).

Notably, TJ was also the legal guardian of his underaged cousins and Michael Jackson’s children Prince, Paris, and Blanket in July 2012, following in the footsteps of his grandmother Katherine Jackson. In the wake of their mother, Delores Martes’ demise, the brothers founded the Dee Dee Jackson Foundation. They provided music therapy classes nationwide to help cope with the tragedy.

Tito Jackson was also a grandfather to six grandkids, two from Taryll and four from TJ. Before his death on Saturday, his most recent appearance was at the Fool in Love Music Festival at the Hollywood Park in Los Angeles last month.

In March of this year, he was also a guest on LATV’s popular show, FREEQUENCY (Freedom of Expression Through Sound), where he got candid about his love for music with his nephew, Austin Brown. During the show, the late singer delivered a special performance of his latest song, Home Is Where the Heart Is.