New York man was inspired by Dexter to murder and dismember woman
Six years after Brandy Odom’s dismembered body was found in a Brooklyn park, her killer faces a mandatory life sentence
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A man who murdered and dismembered a woman in New York City is thought to have been inspired by the TV Show Dexter – and gathered tips from the fictional TV show to cover up his crime.
Cory Martin, 36, a pimp from New York City, was found guilty on all charges in the killing of 26-year-old Brandy Odom, the Eastern District of New York US Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Monday.
Jurors at Martin’s trial heard how he lived in Rosedale, Queens, with Odom and a co-conspirator who were both engaged in sex work for him, while he operated as their pimp.
In March and December 2017, Martin and his co-conspirator fraudulently got hold of two life insurance policies under Odom’s name and made premium payments to the life insurance companies by Western Union money orders using a debit card, also in Odom’s name.
The co-conspirator testified at his trial that she and Martin watched the true crime TV show The First 48 about police tactics, which would lead them to discuss “what not to do, and what things to do to avoid being caught by the police”.
However, Martin’s inspiration viewing became more sinister as he also watched Dexter, a TV show about a serial killer who dismembers his victims. Martin was “looking for ways to commit the crime when he got rid of Brandy,” the trial heard.
One day in early April 2018, Martin then entered Odom’s bedroom and strangled her.
Martin and the co-conspirator then purchased cleaning supplies and a vacuum to clean up the murder scene.
Martin also searched on Home Depot’s website for a “Dewalt 12-Amp Corded Reciprocating Saw,” described as featuring a “powerful 12 Amp motor designed for heavy-duty applications,” and then later that evening, searched on YouTube how to use a reciprocating saw.
After laying down heavy-duty black garbage bags on every surface of the bathroom floor, Martin used an electric saw to dismember the victim’s body in the bathtub, the co-conspirator testified.
Martin and the co-conspirator then disposed of Odom’s body parts by dumping them in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.
After the grisly killing, Martin tried to collect Odom’s life insurance policies – but was unsuccessful.
Another look at Martin’s internet history also gave clues as to his involvement in the murder.
After he disposed of the victim’s dismembered remains, he made dozens of swatches for articles such as “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn,” and searched on Twitter and YouTube for information.
Martin was convicted of all charges including murder-for-hire, aggravated identity theft, murder-for-hire conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and fraudulent use of identification.
He now faces a mandatory life sentence in prison at his sentencing in July.
“I waited six years,” Odom’s mother Nicole Odom told the New York Daily News following Monday’s verdict.
“That’s one monster that’s off the street right now. Because that’s what he is right now. He’s a monster.”
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, said in a statement that “Martin saw the victim as a moneymaker, trafficking her for commercial sex, then after killing her with his bare hands, tossing out her slaughtered body parts like trash so he could profit from her death”.
Mr Peace said that he saw Martin’s life sentence as a “fitting” punishment for the “ghastly, cold-blooded crime that was motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning”.
“Brandy Odom suffered an unthinkable death at the defendant’s hands, but her life mattered, and I hope that this verdict holding the defendant responsible brings some measure of closure to her family,” he added.