Deceased/Not Found TN - Marsha Brantley, 51, Cleveland, May 2009 *Arrest*

From the Bradley County Sheriff's Office:

An arrest has been made in connection with the cold case investigation into the disappearance of Marsha Brantley over four years ago.

Investigation conducted jointly by the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation resulted in the Monday arrest of Brantley’s husband, Donnie Ray Brantley, after a county grand jury charged him with first degree murder.

Marsha Brantley was 51 years old when she was last seen in late May or early June of 2009. However, she was not reported missing until November when a friend contacted an attorney who relayed the information to the District Attorney’s Office. At that time, an investigation was begun by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at the D-A’s request.

The T-B-I asked the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in 2011 and the matter has been under investigation since that time.

Dnnie Brantley, age 48, of Kingston Georgia, was taken into custody at the Judicial Complex when he appeared in court for a previous charge of hindering a secured creditor. He is being held in the Bradley County Jail with a bond of $500,000.
http://www.bradleysheriff.com/content/view/1273/45/
 
Good work LE! It looks like they charged him with a clear minor offense that made his show up in Tennessee and then they pounced with the big charge.
 
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.......Marsha deserved so much more, but justice is in sight. It was worth the wait. Now, DB needs to give up her location.
 
The article's keep on coming....and according to her facebook page, CBS 48 hours has contacted the family! Keeping fingers crossed they will do a show on Marsha!

http://wildabouttrial.com/one_off/a...nform-relatives-she-no-longer-lives-with-him/

http://www.wjhl.com/story/23265098/2013/08/27/husband-of-woman-missing-4-years-arrested-in-ga

http://onlineathens.com/local-news/...ing-4-years-arrested-ga#.Uh6nPGx7F6o.facebook

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/28/aunt-welcomes-slaying-charges/

Also, the family has asked everyone to follow this link to CNN and ask that they pick up Marsha's story:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-803625
 

:banghead:

What the heck?? I wonder what is going on behind the scenes? I've never heard of this before....the family wanting to hold off prosecuting the case, even though the DA thinks they have plenty to go on.

It's so depressing to think that Marsha's killer is still out there walking around (whether's its Donnie or not)
 

No clue why her family doesn't want him tried yet

CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) - District Attorney General Steve Bebb, tells News 12, "I believe he's guilty as sin."

In a rare sit down interview, Bebb explains why his office decided to dismiss Donnie Brantley's first degree murder charge, despite calling it a, "knock 'em dead case."

Bebb adds, "We don't decide things unilaterally. You know, I want to know what everybody thinks, so in this, the family evidentially had told law enforcement they didn't feel good about going forward with it at this time and they wanted to try and get more evidence."
 
From the local newspaper:
"A cold-case trial was set to begin today, but late last week, the family of Marsha Brantley, who was reported missing in 2009, decided to drop the case for now so investigators could continue to collect evidence and information.

Donnie Ray Brantley has been freed from the charge of first-degree murder, according to Paul Rush, who took over prosecution of the case recently after assistant District Attorney General Stephen Hatchett left the District Attorney General’s Office to seek election.

“There are more people coming forward with information and the family of Marsha Brantley approached us to discuss dropping the charge at this time,” Rush said."


Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner - Murder charges against Donnie Brantley dropped
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view...onnie-Brantley-dropped?instance=homethirdleft
 
:banghead:

What the heck?? I wonder what is going on behind the scenes? I've never heard of this before....the family wanting to hold off prosecuting the case, even though the DA thinks they have plenty to go on.

It's so depressing to think that Marsha's killer is still out there walking around (whether's its Donnie or not)

I've never heard anything like this before either Snoopster, am sure there are many things that haven't been disclosed but if the DA say's they have enough, sure makes you wonder.
 
So they let him go; sounds like he's free to go where ever? I'll be surprised if they do not find him dead before picking him up again. He knows it's coming.
 
Just to be clear, I know that Marsha's relatives have stepped up to the plate and pursued her case. They must know something that we don't. I hope they find peace.

Thinking of Marsha and her loved ones, as always.
 
I wonder if they are hoping he will lead them to her body?
 

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