KOKOMO, Ind — A 39-year-old man has been formally charged in a murder investigation surrounding a missing Kokomo woman.
On Feb. 11, 2024, the Kokomo Police Department reported it took a missing person report involving 44-year-old Brandi Bradley.
Bradley was last seen in mid-January in the 800 block of North Jay Street, according to relatives.
Bradley last had contact with her family on Jan. 19, 2024, according to police.
According to court documents, there was a history of violence between Bradley and 39-year-old Jonathon Christy, of Kokomo. He told detectives Bradley moved in to his home in December 2023 and was renting a room from him.
Court documents say Bradley posted videos on multiple social media sites, saying Christy abused her. In the video, Bradley said, "If I end up dead and my dismembered body is found all over Kokomo, it was Jonathon Christy."
According to court documents, multiple people told detectives that Christy had asked to use their burn piles and spray-painted his truck the day Bradley went missing.
Court documents say investigators searched a dumpster in Kempton, Indiana, where Christy said he had burned personal items belonging to him and his wife who died in July 2023. In the dumpster, investigators said they found human bones, a necklace, tarp, belt and other melted debris.
Investigators and the anthropology team at the University of Indianapolis further examined the debris in the dumpster and confirmed arm bones, rib bones and phalanges were found.
After getting search warrants to look through Christy's phones, investigators found that Christy had multiple conversations with people, saying he needed to get out of town and lay low.
According to court documents, investigators then spoke with a witness who knew Christy. The witness said Christy contacted him to ask if he wanted to make $500, and the witness said he believed it was for a construction job.
The witness told investigators he went to Christy's house, and Christy answered and said, "It's done."
According to court documents, the witness said he went in Christy's house and saw Bradley lying on the floor in a room.
The witness claims Christy told him that Christy came home from work and found Bradley had trashed him home, so he lost control and started beating her until she was unconscious. Christy then allegedly told the witness that Bradley woke up, so he hit her more times in the head and placed a bag on her had and belt around her neck.
The witness told detectives that Christy threatened him into helping get rid of Bradley's body.
On Tuesday, Feb. 27, police arrested Christy and transported him to the Howard County Criminal Justice Center on a preliminary charge of murder.
Howard County prosecutors charged Christy with murder on Wednesday. His initial hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 29.