Cory Martin, Murder-for-Hire, New York 2023

A 26-year-old woman was brutally murdered in a life insurance scheme that went horribly wrong, leaving behind a trail of blood and deceit. According to a superseding indictment filed in federal court in Brooklyn, Cory Martin, a Queens man, is charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the death of Brandy Odom.

Odom, a 26-year-old woman, was murdered in April 2018, in a gruesome and heinous act that shocked the community. Martin allegedly strangled Odom and then dismembered her corpse over several days. The body parts were later disposed of in Canarsie Park.

Martin and his co-conspirator had previously obtained two life insurance policies in Odom’s name, with premium payments made through Western Union money orders and a debit card in Odom’s name. The scheme was designed to allow Martin to profit from the life insurance policies after Odom’s death.

“The defendant allegedly brutally murdered a young woman, dismembered her body, and scattered her body parts in a Brooklyn park in order to profit from life insurance policies that he fraudulently obtained in her name,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “He will now be held to account for his alleged heinous acts. We hope that today’s charges bring some measure of solace to the victim’s family.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll expressed his outrage at the alleged crimes, stating, “It’s unthinkable that a person could view another human being as a get rich quick scheme. We allege Mr. Martin murdered, then dismembered a young woman so he could cash in on fraudulent life insurance policies. Ms. Odom didn’t deserve the sheer indignity of dying that way, no one does.”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea commended the investigative work of the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, stating, “With dogged tenacity and meticulous investigative work, our NYPD detectives and law enforcement partners never wavered in their mission to seek justice for this crime victim.”

Martin is now facing justice for his alleged crimes, and the charges bring hope to Odom’s family that justice will be served. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of greed and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

The charges against Martin are a significant development in the case, and the investigation is ongoing. The FBI, NYPD, and Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office are working together to bring justice to Odom’s family and hold Martin accountable for his alleged crimes.

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