Exclusive Interview With Earl Martin On Murder Of Erica Bradfield

0

TYRONE MORRIS EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

 Earl Martin is charged in the death of Erica Bradfield though he says Bradfield did not die at his hands but rather her own. 44News Reporter Lauren Leslie spoke with Martin at Vanderburgh County Jail. She has the exclusive interview.
Martin is changing his story from what police say he reportedly told his 15-year-old son. From jail, Martin claims Bradfield shot herself and he had nothing to do with her death. “I got scared and tried to figure out what to do or how to deal with the situation and I tried to cover it up.
An emotionless Martin tries to remember when exactly Bradfield died. “Erica has been dead for probably, I don’t know four or five weeks, she’s been dead awhile. Year, I don’t remember the exact date,” says Martin.

Three days before Christmas, Evansville Police responded to Martin’s mother’s house on Bellemeade Avenue where investigators located Human remains in multiple trash bags.

Martin was asked why Bradfield was found the way she was. “I was like ‘I got to clean this up’ so I moved her to the basement and I cleaned up, you know, the mess or whatever.”

While Martin claims Bradfield committed suicide the document charging him with her death tells a different story.

Police say Martin told his 15-year-old son a person broke into his mother’s home. He shot the intruder twice, put a trash bag over her head, and took her to the basement where he proceeded to dismember her body.

The 15-year-old told police his father planned for the remains to be picked up with the regular trash and taken to the landfill. “I knew that what was in the basement was not Erica no more, you know what I mean? And I know it sounds messed up, in a way it is, but it wasn’t her anymore, you know? Erica was gone.”

Martin’s new version of the story places blame on the victim. “What she did put me in a situation and there was no way to get around it,” says Martin.

While Martin says Bradfield took her own life, here he calls it a murder.

“If it got reported I was going to do time maybe not for the murder but for something else so I tried to cover it up. That’s what I’m guilty of, that’s all I’m guilty of.”

Martin is charged in a second case where he faces murder and attempted murder charges stemming from what police say was a drug deal gone bad. In that case, 20-year-old Christopher Hoefling died and a second victim, Brandon Waldroup, was shot. Martin remained tight-lipped on that case, saying it could affect his co-defendant.

When told people in the community would view him as a monster. He replied, “I’m sure, of course, a lot of people couldn’t see themselves but when you’re in a tight situation like that I just tried to do the best I could.

The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s office ruled Bradfield’s death a homicide. Coroner Steve Lockyear says suicide is not a reasonable explanation of how Bradfield died.

A forensic anthropologist with the University of Southern Indiana is working with the Coroner’s office to determine what type of saw was used to dismember Bradfield.

Martin did appear in court Wednesday afternoon. He was advised of his charges.

His next court appearance is set for February 22nd.

 

Tyrone Morris

Web Producer

FOOTNOTE: This article was posted by the City County Observer without opinion, bias or editing.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR