EL CAJON (KGTV) — Family members say 51-year-old Jamison Webster had a big heart, especially when it came to those she loved. But it's that kindness that may have cost her life.
"Deal with the pain, the heartache, she was my best friend," said Mike Webster, Jamison's ex-husband.
Police believe her son, 24-year-old Richard Leyva, killed her and put her body in the trunk of her car. Jamison's ex-husband Mike Webster says Richard had a history of mental health issues and had been arrested several times in the past few years.
"We had cops over to the house to arrest him because he was acting crazy, making threats," Mike said. One of the officers told us: if you don't get help, somebody's going to die."
ABC10News obtained court documents revealing Richard's behavior and attempts by his mother to help. According to court records, in July of 2021, Jamison brought Richard to a doctor who diagnosed him with acute psychosis and prescribed medication. The records say the medicine helped, but Richard decided to stop taking it a few weeks later. His symptoms of paranoia returned.
"He needed help, and those resources were far and few between. She was always looking to get him somewhere to deal with whatever he was dealing with."
The court records go on to describe incidents where Richard punched an older man in the face and then threatened deputies with a knife. He was arrested, and records show while in custody, a psychologist diagnosed him with unspecified bipolar disorder. The court records say in December of 202 he was released into a community care program where authorities praised his commitment to treatment. He finished that program and in 2024 his case was dismissed.
"Could you ever have imagined that he would've done something like that?"
"No, no. Not at all."
On Tuesday evening, El Cajon police say Jamison went to visit Richard at his motel room -- but never came home. They say her youngest son went to check on her and found her body in the trunk of her car.
"Numb, in disbelief, she was a good person. She loved everybody."
We still don't know the cause of Jamison's death. Anyone with information is encouraged to call El Cajon Police.
