Murder Charges Brought Years After Torso Found In BK Park: Feds

NEW YORK CITY — A Queens man stands accused of murdering Brandy Odom, a young woman whose dismembered body was found scattered across a Brooklyn park, so that he could collect insurance on her life, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Cory Martin, 34, was charged with murder-for-hire Wednesday, more than three years after a dog walker found Odom's torso in Brooklyn's Canarsie Park, said the U.S. Attorney for New York's Eastern District.

“[Martin] allegedly brutally murdered a young woman, dismembered her body and scattered her body parts in a Brooklyn park,” said U. S. Attorney Breon Peace. “He will now be held to account for his alleged heinous acts.”

Martin stands accused of strangling the 26-year-old woman, dismembering her corpse and discarding her body over the course of several days in April 2018, prosecutors said.

His search history showed Martin searched the Home Depot website and YouTube for information about how to buy and assemble a 12-amp reciprocating saw, according to prosecutors.

Martin also explored news articles about the case, including a story about the dog walker who discovered Odom's body and an interview with her mother, Nicole Odom, prosecutors said.

The alleged motive was a life insurance policy Martin and unnamed co-conspirator unsuccessfully tried to cash after her death, investigators said.

The discovery of Odom's body made headlines citywide in 2018 and drew dozens of New Yorkers — including mayoral candidate Eric Adams — to Canarsie Park for a candlelit vigil, Patch reported at the time.

"They keep finding these bits and pieces," Odom's mother said at the vigil. "I don't know who in their right mind would want to do this to my child except Satan himself."