Docs: Man accused of killing roommate; witness says man burned body in dumpster
KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — A Howard County man accused of killing his missing roommate was later accused of forcing someone to help him dispose of the body.
Jonathon Christy, 39, was arrested by the Kokomo Police Department Tuesday on preliminary charges for the murder of 44-year-old Brandi Bradley.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8 says Bradley was first declared missing on Feb. 11.
People who reported Bradley missing told police that they hadn’t spoken to her since Jan. 20, having made numerous attempts to contact her through phone calls, text, and social media.
Several people also noted that the last they’d heard from her, Bradley had expressed fear for her life from her roommate, Jonathon Christy.
Court documents say on numerous occasions, Bradley accused Christy of abusing her, having posted multiple videos on social media discussing this. In one video, Bradley said, “If I end up dead and my dismembered body is found all over Kokomo, it was John Christy.”
Another person spoke with officers and told them around the time of Bradley’s disappearance, Christy had called their boyfriend asking if he knew of a place where he could “burn carpet and documents.”
Police tried to contact Christy, but could not get ahold of him until Feb. 13 after finally locating him at a home on North Wabash Street in Kokomo. This was not the home he shared with Bradley.
During an interview with detectives, Christy told police he hadn’t seen Bradley in “roughly three weeks,” to which officers informed him Bradley was missing.
Christy told detectives that he knew Bradley through his late wife. He added that “he had a bad habit of taking in ‘strays,’” so when Bradley needed a place to stay, he offered to rent a bedroom to her.
Christy said that at first, Bradley was “the best roommate he ever had,” but their relationship turned rocky when “she decided she had a crush on him.” Christy says he rejected Bradley, but things worsened after Bradley learned Christy was in a relationship with her friend.
He told police that after this reveal, Bradley would “call the police on (the friend) for her warrants” and start inviting “‘every scumbag’ she knew” to the house. After multiple arguments and a “brief” physical altercation, Christy filed to evict her.
Christy told police that Bradley “trashed” the home following another argument sometime around Jan. 20. During the argument was the last time he spoke to or saw Bradley, court documents say.
When asked about the burn pit, he told detectives that he wanted to burn “embarrassing” mementos from his wife, things he didn’t want Bradley finding and reading. He told investigators he instead burned the items in a dumpster at a construction site he worked at.
On Feb. 14, investigators searched Christy’s home where he lived with Bradley, and the dumpster at the construction site. In the dumpster, court documents say police found “human phalanges (finger bones),” as well as a belt, tarp, and red fibers similar to fibers found in Bradley’s bedroom.
During a second search of the dumpster, officers found additional arm bones, rib bones, and more phalanges.
Court documents did not confirm if the bones belonged to Bradley.
Following the searches, several others spoke with detectives regarding Bradley’s disappearance, including two inmates from the Madison County jail.
They spoke with police on Monday, saying that at the beginning of January, Christy asked them if they wanted to make $500 by beating up Bradley. They say they turned Christy down, but Christy asked again in the middle of the month if they wanted to make $500. Believing it was a construction job, one of the inmates agreed.
When the person arrived at Christy’s home, he was met by Christy at the back door, with Christy saying, “It’s done.” The inmate said Christy then led him to the front bedroom, where he saw Bradley dead.
Christy threatened the inmate and his girlfriend’s lives, forcing him to help transport and burn Bradley’s body.
Christy was arrested Tuesday. Online jail records show he’s facing additional charges for strangulation, confinement, and never obtaining a driver’s license.
Help is available for victims of domestic violence. Below is a list of suggested resources on the Domestic Violence Network website:
- Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 24-hour hotline available at 800-332-7385
- Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking
- The Julian Center
- Indiana Child Abuse Hotline: 800-800-5556
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673
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