He had always denied any role in his wife's disappearance, but he'd lied when he claimed that Marsha had taken her phone. The case was unusual from the. But Davis said those stories were a result of bad interview practice to plant bias before asking questions. Lee Davis | Defense attorney: There's no blood, no fingerprints, no DNA no body. Odd enough, says DeLude, that she was moved to pick up the phone. She left her car. Jana Wills: There were pictures of Donnie and his daughter, but none of Marsha. Marsha K Atwood Mary Mull Russell P Mull Shaun P Painter Clarence M Painter . as opposed to gone missing or living someplace else. Peter Van Sant: And how much money are we talkin' about? Davis says he needed cash, but left most of her things alone because he figured she'd one day come back to get them, including her beloved dogs. There is conflicting information about whether authorities looked for a body. Crump said they also found a landfill ticket that showed Donnie Brantley had dumped some questionable items. For Donnie Brantley, that means a third round of charges could come at any time. She grew up in an affluent family, an only child with no children of her own. However, in the time leading up to the indictment, Crump said, there is no evidence that Donnie Brantley used Marsha Brantley's power of attorney for financial gain. "I don't know where she is, and if there's anything in this world that I want, it's to bring Marsha home," she said. For Marsha's family, it's a second devastating blow in court. Asked if any other people were considered people of interest, Crump said no. Peter Van Sant: I have some rather startling news to tell you. And she said, "I want you to meet him.". She can write, this woman. Cart Peter Van Sant: Did he organize any search parties? They were married in 2000, and moved into the house Marsha's parents had built for her. "In fact, it's the exact opposite. that there was a lot more underneath there than she was willing to share with me. Reggie Jay and Nancy Grill were members of a writers' group that Marsha formed in 2007. Perhaps her work was not flashy enough, or too subdued, or perhaps her intelligence too often disguised a genuine sex . Lee Davis: No. I'll never stop self-evaluating but no matter what the outcome is, I better always do the right thing. But it wasn't just what Brantley said -- it was how he said it -- that really caught Hunt's attention. The new medical director breaks the rules to heal the system at America's oldest public hospital. Jana Wills: she had her favorite dachshund named Barney she taught him to pray before he ate his meals He would cross his little paws [laughs]. Aftermath: An episode of the CBS series 48 Hours documenting the case, titled "Missing Marsha", debuted on April 7, 2018. 2020 Federal Gold Medal Match 4th. Stephanie Richardson: No. She was outgoing she was one of my favorite cousins. "I got the impression that there were [financial problems]," Jay said. In August 2013 Donnie Brantley was arrested and charged with murder. The same sentiments were reflected on her Facebook account. I can tell whatever I want to. But sadly, Marsha's family thinks Grill's hope is pure fiction. She kept a blog called "The Magpie's Nest" in which she unabashedly doted on Donnie Brantley and recounted small anecdotes of her day-to-day life. Det. She seemed a bit depressed," hairdresser Kelly DeLude says of Marsha Brantley during an April 2009 hair appointment, Hairdresser Kelly DeLude and attorney Jerry Hoffer, Marsha Brantley case: Evidence a jury never saw, A legal argument can convince judges to drop cases before they reach a jury. Kelly DeLude: I felt compelled to find out what happened to her. It was a reading sponsored by the writers' group in February 2009, and Donnie Brantley was on his phone the entire time Marsha Brantley read one of her stories, Grill said. No contracts or. They've heard this before. Donnie, Marsha's husband, said she had left him and he hadn't seen her since May or June 2009. And she said, "Well, you know, it's really affecting our business.". The charges were dropped again in February 2018 due to lack of evidence. And I said, "I need to report a missing person. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Dirty Little Secrets" is a story that Marsha wrote. She had no children of her own, no siblings and both of her parents died of cancer within weeks of each other. She was never charged with a crime. Some time before Marsha Brantley went missing, Donnie Brantley's ex-girlfriend Stephanie Richardson heard about his business and contracted him to do some repairs around her house. They are receipts for items Donnie bought around the time Marsha disappeared, including duct tape and plastic sheeting. Press Esc. Multiple investigations have failed to determine a cause of disappearance. Davis says that certainly doesn't help Donnie, but it shouldn't hurt him either. Months later, newly-elected Prosecutor Steve Crump focuses his legal sights on Donnie Brantley. She also quit her job as housing director at nearby Lee University to pursue her passion. Jay, who was closest to Brantley, said she let her know she was there for her if she needed to talk, but Brantley immediately "clammed up" and didn't talk about it any further. Marsha was last seen in Cleveland, Tennessee sometime in late May or early June 2009. ;-)," wrote one friend. Medra Justis: She was a friendly person, a sweet person. Peter Van Sant: And they had a real marriage? She uses her tenacity, inability to hear no, and southern charm to shed light on past and present cases. She did not have a job. "I thought and think today we had a wonderful case," he told the Times Free Press. " And investigators soon unearthed phone records that revealed Donnie Brantley had begun calling an ex-girlfriend within days after Marsha disappeared. Investigators determined from cell phone records that Brantley most likely disappeared around June 2, 2009, possibly as late as July. In July or August 2009, one of Brantley's neighbors reported that she had not seen Brantley for a long time and apparently had not been doing her regular activities. I'm sure we'll cross paths often since we live in such a small town.". Yeah, she -- she colored her hair -- so most women are, sure. The call went to voicemail. Those things were disclosed in 2010 to law enforcement and from all I can tell, they've never been investigated. My name is Robert Brantley and I have been obsessed with precision rifle since 2007. It was a long conversation, and she allegedly told Shank she was considering leaving her writers' group to join one in Knoxville, 10th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Crump said. Reconnect with friends from high school, find reunions, view yearbook photos and more. Richardson says she did date Donnie, but not while Marsha was in his life. Medra Justis | Marsha's aunt: I felt like life has been squeezed out of me. Jana Wills: What happened to her? [7] The charges were dropped again in February 2018 due to lack of evidence. She is widely believed to have been murdered by her then-husband Donnie Brantley, but no direct evidence has ever been found to prove this. DONNIE BRANTLEY [pauses, reaches for a bottle of water before answering]: I plead the Fifth. DeLude says Marsha couldn't say enough nice things about her marriage and her husband. When Marsha Brantley, 50, of Cleveland, Tenn., suddenly vanished in 2009, her husband Donnie eventually became a suspect in her murder. Actress: Pride and Prejudice. But it would take another two years to arrest and recharge him. Peter Van Sant: And in the worst cases, what can it lead to? A civil deposition in 2013 shows that Donnie Brantley likely will never have much to say: DEPOSITION ATTORNEY: She was the love of your life, right? The defense attorney asked to have the charges dismissed because there wasn't enough evidence. In 2012 three years after Marsha went missing Jana Wills and Medra Justis went into the house where Marsha and Donnie lived for nine years. She left a message, but didn't hear back. That's terrible. Robin Terrero: She first came in 2004, in June of 2004. Lee Davis: She was separating herself from those relationships that was closest to her. In the comments she wrote, "He just does stuff like that. "What proof is there that she's in fact dead as opposed to gone missing or living someplace else?" #trending #truecrime #missing Get Your Long Term Emergency Food Storage Supplies From My Patriot Supply Using My Discount here https://www.prepwithbamamik. Multiple investigations have failed to determine a cause of disappearance. Nearly 10 years after Marsha's disappearance, it takes a judge just 10 minutes to dismiss the case against Donnie Brantley yet again. And so finally, I thought, I'm gonna call around And in my mind, I thought, you know, "I'm crossin' a little line here into meddling.". Elise Brantley: Getting to see that grandfather side of him is just a whole other very special side What I want people to know is how loving, kind, thoughtful and how hard working he is. Prosecutor Steve Crump: Gone to Florida gone out west to work as a missionary. In 2015, the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy revoked Robin Terrero's license for unprofessional conduct unrelated to Marsha's treatment. Marsha's neighbor was concerned too -- so much so that she decided to confront Donnie in person at his house. "48 Hours" producer Josh Yager investigated the disappearance of Marsha Brantley and the case against her husband Donnie Brantley for the episode,. Can we get her back? I believe that she was very depressed. Kelly DeLude: She did confide in me and I confided in her. Prosecutor Steve Crump: I think her cellphone in his possession is easily, in my mind, the most damning fact. Marsha and Donnie Brantley married on March 31, 2000. Marsha lived in Cleveland, TN with her husband and several dogs. Zach Pike: I think we have a great circumstantial case. Hon. "None of the things that normally would accompany somebody going off the grid [are involved]," Crump said. Overview. Det. Then, during that 2013 videotaped deposition, Donnie refused to answer --"I plead the Fifth" -- or said he "couldn't recall" more than 100 times. Annamarie T Vale, Beverly M Brantley, Bonnie L Petroski. In order for the charge to stick, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Donnie Brantley planned and intentionally killed his wife. 's office And I just kind of in a flippant way, I said, "You've got, you've got a dead lady out there. But of the hundreds of clients DeLude has cut and consoled over the years, there has been only one whose face haunts her dreams. its a blog about my life. Lee Davis: You have a woman who describes herself as being severely depressed. Some of the women questioned whether Marsha Brantley had actually sent the email, but the third member, Wendy Brown, later told them Marsha Brantley had been planning to leave the group, Grill said. Lee Davis: It's very important. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. So that really concerned me. Follow her on Twitter @Hughes Rosana. She's she's not been in. Kelly DeLude: If he did do something to her and if I just let this go, he'll get away with it! Judge: At this time, Mr. Brantley is free to go. she wrote in a March 31, 2009, blog post for their ninth anniversary. Peter Van Sant: When you read that, what'd you think? But just two days before Donnie Brantley's murder trial is set to begin, Prosecutor Steve Crump -- the man who four years earlier promised Marsha Brantley's family justice -- gives "48 Hours" some shocking news. Crump said the signature was inspected by a forensic handwriting expert who determined she did indeed sign her name. "I don't ever remember sitting down and having a conversation with him, because I don't ever know of a time that he was ever anywhere that we actually sat down and could have had a conversation," Wills said. She can be reached via e-mail monaannbrantley@yahoo.com. Their most recent appointment, in our records, was to CORSTORPHINE LAND LTD on 2004-02-20, from which they resigned on 2011-03-15. In March 2010, authorities ask Donnie Brantley to take a polygraph test. But DeLude never got that call. In 2011, the Bradley County Sheriff's Office became involved, and in November 2012, the Brantleys home was searched again, this time with cadaver dogs. The Times Free Press could not reach Richardson for comment. For starters, her car was left behind. Zack Pike: I think it's pretty big, for the simple fact that this doesn't happen here everyday. Prosecutor Steve Crump: Yes. June 29, 2019 / 10:08 PM The case was unusual from the start because for months after Marsha disappeared, nobody reported her missing not her friends, her family or even her husband. Marsha Ellen Brantley (nee Rader), born February 28, 1959, was an American woman who disappeared around May to June 2009. Donnie's lawyers also claim that all those stories he told about where his wife may have gone, were actually suggestions once he realized she truly was missing. Reggie Jay: I was mad. Donnie Brantley was indicted for first-degree murder in 2009, but the charge was dropped. Despite seeming guarded, Donnie Brantley appeared to be more introverted than hostile or shy, Wills said. But the longer she was gone and when I talked to the TBI and they told me that Donnie had told so many lies, then I began to wonder that maybe she, maybe she wasn't gone away.". Prosecutor Steve Crump: That doesn't make sense. Marsha Brantley is a 1990 graduate of Charles Henderson Middle School in Troy, AL. Zach Pike: It was around October 2011 And I jumped at the opportunity to be able to assist with the investigation. In October 2016, Brantley was again arrested in Kingston, Georgia. Despite the circumstantial evidence stacked against Donnie Brantley, Davis, a former prosecutor, has maintained that Donnie Brantley's guilt depends on the lens through which it's viewed. Elise Brantley: Four cars pulled up and told him to get on the ground. But Donnie Brantley's attorney, Lee Davis, said his client didn't do that until after his wife disappeared. "She's leaving me. That second chance came in October 2016 when Crump, Bebb's successor, presented a grand jury with evidence leading to Donnie Brantley's second first-degree murder charge. "The quickest way to not find something is to not look for it," Davis said. Marsha Hunt. Kelly DeLude: We just got along we would just talk the whole time. Jana Wills: She was beautiful She was always kind. DEPOSITION ATTORNEY: Are there other items of hers which you sold when she disappeared? Nevertheless, Crump said the case is going back to the cold case unit to take a closer look at the evidence now that forensic science has advanced. My parents raised their family here and their parents raised their family here! Lee Davis, Brantley's attorney, says his client is 100 percent innocent. There wasn't a lot of happiness after that. Mine!" MFI received more than 40 responses from a survey to other former tenants who claimed to have lived in multiple different properties operated by Fortune's companies between 2008 and 2020. They are barkin' their heads off." Donnie Brantley has gone back home to Georgia, where he's spending time with a new love interest and his grandchildren, too. You're calling various people, right. Jana Wills: I looked up to her when I was a little girl. You all need to be looking for her.". Friends and family members reported that Brantley suffered from depression. Because the only person close enough to have reported her missing didn't do it. Elise Brantley: When we would sit and watch movies on weekends and that kind of thing, they would hold hands. But during what turned out to be Marsha's final hair appointment in April 2009, Kelly saw a side of Marsha that left her concerned. Donnie Brantley's lawyers, Lee Davis and Janie Parks Varnell, say their client should never have been charged with murder once, let alone twice. She was strong-willed, opinionated, had a "no- nonsense" personality and loved her foster dogs, walking, gardening and writing. They were their dogs. Prosecutor Steve Crump to reporters: I was interested in it from the very beginning. Peter Van Sant [outside courthouse]: This is a very important day for Donnie Brantley. She would have kicked Donnie Brantley out rather than let him have the house to live in with a new woman, they said. brought cadaver dogs down to the basement, indicted Donnie Brantley for first-degree murder, He was arrested by U.S. marshals in Cartersville, Ga., in December. Medra Justis: There was not a picture of Marsha to be seen anywhere. 2020 Vapor Trail Bullet Siege 4th. Surprisingly, he accepts. She lived with her husband of nine years and three dogs in the Benwood subdivision of Cleveland at the time of her disappearance. And when I would wake up in the morning, I would think of Marsha. Davis said this is an example of the state's "confirmation bias." He said that yes, if it's viewed through the lens of first-degree murder, the evidence does not look great. But what is for sure is that Donnie Brantley told investigators the camper was at a campground. Robin Terrero [reading]: On 5/18 She was having mood swings, sleepless. Grill and Jay say Marsha was the best of the bunch. Kelly DeLude | Marsha's hairdresser: Cleveland, Tennessee is beautiful. Prosecutor Steve Crump: He may be the singularly most dishonest defendant I've ever dealt with. Each episode features a different missing person case and . It was searched but no evidence of a crime was found. Background: Marsha Brantley was originally from Illinois. In that time I have used it for both hunting and competition. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The family worried that if a jury did not find Donnie Brantley guilty, there would be no second chance. They broke up the cement after noticing a section of what looked like freshly poured cement, which they said could have been done to conceal a body. "You could tell something was wrong," Jay said, adding that the couple seemed unhappy with each other. Friends and family members reported that Brantley suffered from depression. In your handwriting? You're going to dismiss this murder case? One of the things that drew me to researching the case was the lack of information about Marsha. In fact, her family didn't learn she was missing until December 2009 or January 2010. Still, DeLude expected Marsha to call about six weeks later to set up her next appointment. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. DeLude shared the story with local attorney Jerry Hoffer in October, and he told then-District Attorney General Steve Bebb, who called the TBI. Det. Det. During the encounter, the two allegedly shared a kiss. Robin Terrero | Former pharmacist: I think that there was a whole lot going on with Marsha that she didn't tell anyone, even the people in her writing group. Marsha Brantley's family did not remember authorities organizing any large search parties, but the family did pass out fliers in hopes of jogging people's memories. "I have the best husband in the world," a Nov. 27, 2008, blog entry reads. 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