KOKOMO, Ind. (TCD) — A 39-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of killing a 44-year-old woman who disappeared last month.
According to a news release from the Kokomo Police Department, family members reported Brandi Bradley missing on Feb. 11 after they last saw her in mid-January in the 800 block of North Jay Street. In an updated post, officers said they received information in the case and searched a remote location.
Before she went missing, Bradley reportedly posted on social media, stating, “If I end up dead and my dismembered body is found all over Kokomo, it was John Christy,” WXIN-TV reports.
According to the news source, Bradley and another woman lived in Jonathon Christy’s home.
Some of Bradley’s friends allegedly told police Christy had been abusive toward the victim and even choked her. Between Dec. 30, 2023, and Jan. 19, police responded to Christy’s home five separate times, WXIN reports.
Following Bradley’s disappearance, Christy allegedly spray-painted his vehicle and asked people about “burn piles” to dispose of some items.
WXIN reports that Christy told officers he worked in construction and needed to find places to dispose of debris from various jobs.
Court documents reviewed by WXIN said officers searched a dumpster where Christy allegedly threw out debris from a job site. In the dumpster, investigators reportedly found ash, melted debris, and suspected human bones. However, the bones have not been positively identified as the victim.
On Feb. 14, police reportedly searched another location and discovered a small red stain believed to be blood. Also on that day, investigators responded to Division Road in Kempton, Indiana and found “definite signs” of a fire that had been lit in a dumpster, according to WXIN. Inside the dumpster, police reportedly found burnt remnants of a necklace and a tarp, as well as a belt, other melted debris, and suspected human finger bones.
A doctor examined the bones on Feb. 15 and determined them to be an arm, rib, and finger bones. Further testing will be performed.
An individual contacted police on Feb. 26 and reportedly said Christy asked him to help with a job in January. The individual allegedly went to a home for the job and saw Bradley’s body on the ground with a bag over her head and a belt around her neck. The person reportedly told police Christy said Bradley damaged his home, and he attacked her with a wrench.
The individual allegedly helped Christy transport Bradley’s body to a house on Division Road, where there was a large dumpster outside. According to WXIN, Christy told the individual, “I have to burn it,” and then he allegedly lit Bradley’s body on fire.
Police arrested Christy weeks after Bradley went missing, on Tuesday, Feb. 27, on a charge of murder.
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