Riverside, California Bradley Minder allegedly killed by roommate, found buried in backyard

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The family of a man found buried in the backyard of a Riverside home is speaking out after he was allegedly killed by his roommate.

“I want this monster to know what a beautiful man he took from us,” said Leona Hodo.

Hodo said she last spoke to her son, Bradley Minder, on Oct. 12, after his alleged roommate ransacked his room.

“He wanted to let me know that he came home and was cleaning his room because a man had broken into his room and destroyed a lot of his things,” she said.

Three days later, her son’s body was found in the yard of the house.

Riverside police said they were called to a home in the 8700 block of Sylvan Drive after Minder had not been seen or heard from for several days.

Police said that at the home, a man identified as 48-year-old Richard Thomas Martinez gave a statement in which he claimed to have killed his roommate.

Martinez was taken into custody while detectives searched the home. Minder’s body was found in the yard.

The victim’s family stated that the two did not know each other and that Martinez occasionally stayed at the house, which belonged to his grandfather.

“Bradley didn’t really know him, the guy was on some kind of drug or something. He had no mind…drugs, he was constantly smoking meth and stuff,” said Vinnie Casella, Minder’s brother.

Casella said his brother was ready to leave the house as soon as he found a new room to rent.

“The day after the police arrested the guy, I thought he would be safe and not have to worry about the guy leaving and him coming back with all his stuff destroyed,” Casella said.

He said Martinez was initially arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of a controlled substance when he attacked his own grandfather and then ransacked his brother’s room before the murder.

“He never got mad at anyone, he was never angry, he was loving, he had a heart of gold,” Hodo said.

Minder, who was the oldest in the family, helped raise his younger siblings and is remembered as friendly and caring towards those he loved.

“He told me everything was going to be okay, he said, ‘I love you mom, you’re my rock,’ and that was the last time I talked to my son,” she said.

Hodo says he will be in the courtroom on Nov. 4 when Martinez is arraigned on the murder charge.

AND GoFundMe the account was set up to help the family cover burial costs.