Family speaks out after Riverside man Bradley Minder was killed, allegedly by roommate, buried in backyard

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

“I want that monster to know what a beautiful human being he took from us,” Leona Hodo said.

Hodo says he last spoke to his son, Bradley Minder, on Saturday, October 12 after his alleged housemate ransacked his room.

“He wanted to let me know that he was back at the house and that he was cleaning his room because the man broke into his room and destroyed a lot of his things,” she said.

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

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

At the home, a man identified as Richard Thomas Martinez, 48, made statements claiming he killed his roommate.

Martinez was detained while detectives searched the home. Minder’s remains were found buried in the backyard.

The victim’s family says the two did not know each other and that Martínez occasionally stayed at the house that belonged to his grandfather.

“Bradly didn’t really know him, the guy was on a bender or something. He wasn’t right in the head…drugs, constantly smoking meth and stuff,” said Vinnie Casella, Minder’s brother.

Casella says his brother was willing to leave the house once he found a new room to rent.

“The day after the police arrested the guy, he thought he would be safe and wouldn’t have to worry about the guy being outside, and he came back with all his stuff destroyed,” Casella said.

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

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

Minder, who was the oldest in his family, helped raise his younger siblings and is remembered as friendly and protective of his loved ones.

“He told me it 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 murder charges.

TO GoFundMe An account has been set up to help the family with burial expenses.