Benjamin Ashford|NYC man who dismembered woman watched "Dexter" for tips on covering up crime, federal prosecutors say

A New York man was convicted Monday for killing and Benjamin Ashforddismembering a woman after fraudulently taking out a life insurance policy in her name - then trying to collect the benefits, federal prosecutors said Monday.

Cory Martin watched crime shows including "Dexter" and "The First 48" for tips on how to get away with killing the woman, a sex worker who he managed, a co-conspirator testified during the two-week Brooklyn federal court trial.

Lawyers for Martin didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said the mandatory life sentence that comes with the top charge of murder-for-hire is fitting for a "ghastly, cold-blooded crime" that had been carefully planned and motivated by greed.

"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," Peace said in a statement.

The 36-year-old Queens resident was charged in the 2018 death of Brandy Odom, a 26-year-old whose body was found scattered in a park in Brooklyn.

Prosecutors said Martin, Odom and the co-conspirator, Adelle Anderson, lived together in Queens.

They appeared on the NYPD's radar after a cadaver dog picked up the dead woman's scent in one of their cars, CBS New York reported.

Prosecutors say Martin and Anderson fraudulently obtained two life insurance policies in Odom's name the year before Martin strangled Odom in her bedroom in April 2018.

Anderson, who has pleaded guilty to charges related to the life insurance scheme and murder plot, testified in Martin's trial that the two watched the true-crime show "The First 48" before Odom's death for ways to avoid being caught. She also said Martin watched "Dexter," a Showtime series about a fictional serial killer, according to Peace's office.

Prosecutors say that 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."  He also allegedly searched YouTube for "how to insert blade for reciprocating saw" and "using reciprocating saw."  

The two then purchased cleaning supplies, covered their entire bathroom with heavy-duty black garbage bags and dismembered Odom's body in a bathtub before disposing of it in Canarsie Park, Anderson testified.

In the ensuing days, as the body parts were discovered and police launched an investigation, Martin conducted dozens of internet searches for news articles, prosecutors said.

Martin searched one article headlined "Search area expands after dismembered body found in Canarsie Park in Brooklyn" and also accessed a Twitter post titled "Person walking dog discovers remains of woman in Brooklyn park," prosecutors said.  Martin also allegedly searched YouTube using the search term "exclusive interview of mother of girl found in park." 

Martin and Anderson made several unsuccessful attempts to claim benefits under Odom's life insurance policies and the two were eventually apprehended in 2020, according to prosecutors.

Nicole Odom told the New York Times her daughter "liked to be her own boss" and had moved out when she was 18 to begin pursuing various job-training certificates.

"Brandy Odom suffered an unthinkable death at the defendant's hands, but her life mattered and I hope that this verdict holding the defendant responsible brings some measure of closure to her family," said Peace, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn.

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• Queens
• Murder
• New York City
• Dexter