Maya Jama ‘blames herself’ for the fatal shooting of boyfriend Rico Gordon before she found fame

Maya Jama reportedly continues to blames herself for the death of her former boyfriend Rico Gordon in 2011.

The TV personality, 27, was left devastated after her then-partner was killed by a ricocheting bullet meant for someone else during a fight in Bristol. 

She was just 16 when the 21-year-old was killed during the summer she was due to move to London to pursue her now flourishing TV career.

Tragic: Maya Jama reportedly continues to blames herself for the death of her former boyfriend Rico Gordon in 2011, before she found fame (pictured in September 2021)

Rico’s mum Anna, 54, revealed how the aspiring teacher was trying to get directions from Maya over the phone as he travelled to her house when the incident occurred.

She told The Sun: ‘Maya blamed herself after what happened, but then everyone blamed themselves. She tried to convince Rico to stay in London that day.

‘There is a big church that you can see from the balcony of my house and Maya told me they were planning on getting married there. 

‘It breaks my heart to say that the next time she went to that church it was not for their wedding, but for Rico’s funeral.’

Tragic: The TV personality, 27, was left devastated after her then-partner was killed aged 21 by a ricocheting bullet meant for someone else during a fight in Bristol (pictured before 2011)

Anna went on to detail how Rico had gone to a pub in Bristol, which he didn’t like and decided to leave after an argument erupted.

CCTV footage showed a group of people exit the building and begin shooting, she said, before her son was found lying on the road still breathing. 

When she received a call from her daughter, Anna believed the group had been pranking her before being taken to the morgue to identify her son’s body, which was still clutching his phone, she claimed.

Distressing: Rico’s mum Anna, 54, revealed how the aspiring teacher was trying to get directions from Maya over the phone as he travelled to her house when the incident occurred (pictured in 2012)

Shakah Anderson and Rickel Adams were given life sentences after being found guilty of Rico’s murder in 2012, with a third shooter having never been identified.

Anna went on to add that the former Radio 1 DJ recently insisted that she visit her new home and ‘cries every time she talks about what happened’.

The pair spent a considerable amount of time together after Maya grieved in Rico’s bedroom when she was invited to live in Notting Hill with the mum-of-three 

Anna now believes the actress will visit a new memorial bench in West London’s Powis Square for her son, which is set to be unveiled soon.

Maya previously wiped away tears as she discussed how her first boyfriend was shot dead in Foxy’s Fearless 48 Hours. 

She said: ‘So then your whole world just changes as you’re a little girl and you realise, “All right, this is adult stuff going on.” I was devastated, I was so sad.’ 

Emotional: Anna now believes the actress will visit a new memorial bench in Powis Square in West London for her son, which is set to be unveiled soon (Maya pictured in October 2021)

Emotional Maya also reflected on her jailbird father Hussein, who was sent to prison for bottling a man.

She added: ‘I had a situation where my dad was in and out of jail from three. At the time, I didn’t think it bothered me. It was all I knew so that was normal, I don’t like crying about that stuff. I have to laugh or I get emotional.

‘I’m OK now, but obviously I’m sad for my little, younger self that I had to deal with that.’

Maya previously said that growing up without her father present was not something she ‘sat at home and cried about’, during an interview with Marie Claire.

She said: ‘Anything that seems tragic or could make people feel sorry for me, I make a joke out of. I guess it’s because I’m OK with it. I’ve accepted it and I don’t want you making me feel like you’re sorry for me.

‘If people said, “Where’s your dad?” I’d say, “Oh, he’s in jail” and I’d laugh about it. It wasn’t something I sat at home and cried about.’ 

Proud parents: Back in 2018, Maya tweeted a snapshot of her mother Sadie and father Hussein

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10325865/Maya-Jama-blames-fatal-shooting-boyfriend-Rico-Gordon-fame.html