Roommate's Chilling Confession Leads to Gruesome Backyard Discovery

When 31-year-old Bradley Minder stopped responding to messages, his family's concern quickly turned to dread. Days later, police uncovered his body in a shallow grave behind the Riverside, California, home where he lived. His roommate, 48-year-old Richard Martinez, now faces murder charges in a case that has left Minder's loved ones reeling.

A Chilling Confession Leads to a Grisly Discovery

On Oct. 15, 2024, officers arrived at the Sylvan Drive home in Riverside's Arlanza neighborhood after friends and family reported Minder missing. From the start, something felt off. His roommate, Martinez, allegedly made an unexpected admission — one that turned a missing persons case into a homicide investigation.

"During their initial investigation, officers learned that one of the occupants had made statements claiming he killed his roommate," the Riverside Police Department said in a press release, according to CBS News.

Detectives detained Martinez and brought in cadaver dogs to search the property. The dogs led officers to an area of freshly disturbed soil in the backyard. As investigators began digging, they unearthed human remains — later confirmed to be Minder, according to ABC 7.

Martinez was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center without bail, accused of killing his roommate and attempting to cover it up with a backyard burial.

A Troubling Warning Sign — Ignored

Minder's family says the tragedy could have been prevented. Just days before his murder, Martinez had been arrested for assaulting Minder's uncle, who also lived in the home. CBS News reported that police found Martinez allegedly in possession of a controlled substance at the time, but despite the violent incident, he was released.

Minder's mother, Leona Hodo, recalled her last conversation with her son on Oct. 12, 2024. She told ABC 7, "He wanted to let me know that he is back at the house that he was cleaning up his room, because the man broke into his room and destroyed a lot of his stuff." Three days later, Minder was dead.

A Life Stolen, A Family Demands Justice

Minder's family remembers him as a devoted son and brother with a heart of gold. "Bradley Minder was the gentlest soul to ever walk this earth," his family said in a statement to CBS News. "His family meant more to him than anything in the world."

Now, his mother plans to be in the courtroom when Martinez faces justice.

Meanwhile, police continue to investigate, urging anyone with additional information to contact the Riverside Police Department.

References: Man arrested after roommate found buried in backyard | Detectives Arrest Man After Discovering Murder Victim in Backyard | Riverside County man accused of killing roommate, burying body pleads not guilty | Victim's family speaks out after Riverside man is allegedly killed by roommate, buried in backyard