A federal judge sentenced Cory Martin to life in prison last week for the premeditated murder of Brandy Odom, a 26-year-old woman he trafficked and later killed in a scheme to collect fraudulent life insurance payouts. The Queens man meticulously planned the crime, inspired by television dramas like Dexter and The First 48, according to prosecutors, who called the murder “cold-blooded” and “ghastly.”
The chilling case began in 2017, when Martin exploited Odom, who lived with him in his Queens apartment, by trafficking her for commercial sex. Federal prosecutors said Martin saw Odom as an opportunity for profit and conspired with an accomplice to take out life insurance policies in her name. Over the course of the year, they paid the premiums using her debit card and Western Union transfers, laying the groundwork for their deadly plan.
In April 2018, Martin carried out the murder. Prosecutors detailed how he strangled Odom in her bedroom, then used cleaning supplies purchased in advance to stage the crime scene. He later searched Home Depot’s website for tools, ultimately buying a power saw to dismember her body in the apartment bathtub. Odom’s remains were discarded in Canarsie Park, where they were discovered days later.
For nearly two years, Martin and his accomplice eluded capture. Their undoing came when they attempted to claim the insurance payouts, triggering an investigation that led to their arrests in 2020. During the trial, evidence revealed that Martin had studied crime dramas for tips on avoiding detection, underscoring the premeditated nature of his actions.
A jury found Martin guilty of murder-for-hire, conspiracy, wire fraud, identity theft, and other charges. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace called the life sentence a fitting punishment, adding, “This ghastly, cold-blooded crime, motivated by greed and executed after extensive planning, underscores the depth of his cruelty.” The case closes a chapter on a crime that shocked New York with its brutality and calculated malice.
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