A Southeast Queens man was convicted on Monday of murdering and dismembering a woman—in a grisly act thought to be inspired by the TV Show “Dexter”—as part of a fraudulent scheme to collect $200,000 in life insurance benefits.
Cory Martin, 36, of Rosedale, was found guilty on all counts in Brooklyn federal court by a jury following a two-week trial in the killing of Brandy Odom in 2018. When sentenced on July 23, Martin faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
Martin, according to court testimony, lived in a Rosedale home with his girlfriend, Adelle Anderson, and the then 26-year-old victim Odom. The women both participated in sex work for Martin, who operated as their pimp.
In March and December of 2017, Martin and Anderson fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in Odom’s name. They made premium payments to the life insurance companies by Western Union money orders and by using a debit card in Odom’s name. They then plotted her death.
At trial, Anderson testified that prior to Odom’s murder, she and Martin watched “The First 48,” a true-crime TV show about police tactics and they discussed “what not to do, and what things to do to avoid getting caught by the police.” Anderson also testified that Martin also watched “Dexter,” a TV show about a serial killer who dismembered his victims, because he was “looking for ways to commit the crime when he got rid of Brandy.”
In early April 2018, Martin strangled Odom in her bedroom. Martin and Anderson then purchased cleaning supplies and a vacuum at the Green Acres Mall on Long Island to clean up the murder scene.
On April 6, 2018, Martin searched 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.”
Later that evening, Martin searched YouTube for “how to insert blade for reciprocating saw” and “using reciprocating saw.” Anderson testified that Martin used the electric saw to dismember the victim’s corpse in the bathtub after covering every surface of the bathroom with heavy-duty, black garbage bags to eliminate evidence of the killing.
In the early morning of April 8 and 9, 2018, Martin disposed of Odom’s body parts in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn with the assistance of Anderson. In the following days, after her body parts were found, Martin conducted dozens of internet searches for news articles, including “Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn.”
Martin also accessed a Twitter post titled “Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park.” The following day, Martin searched YouTube using the search term “exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park.”
After Odo’s murder, at Martin’s direction, Anderson made several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom’s life insurance policies.
“It is fitting that Martin faces a mandatory sentence to spend the rest of his life in prison for his ghastly, cold-blooded crime that was motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “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.”
Martin was convicted of murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and fraudulent use of identification.
“Brandy Odom suffered an unthinkable death at the defendant’s hands, but her life mattered and I hope this verdict holding the defendant responsible brings some measure of closure,” Peace said.
Anderson, who took a plea deal for her role in the crime, will be sentenced at a later date.
