A 75-year-old Vietnam War veteran with PTSD was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after being accused of murdering his wife on May 1.
According to the Tulsa Police Department, Charles Bradley, 75, called 911 to report that he had found his wife’s lifeless body in their home. The 911 dispatcher reported that Bradley hinted at possible involvement in his wife’s death,saying he “may have killed her”, and mentioned attempting CPR.
A video surfaced showing police cautiously approaching Bradley’s residence before detaining him. Upon entering, the officers confirmed that Sandra Bradley, his wife, had died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Bradley provided the officers with inconsistent stories after being read his Miranda Rights. He recounted being awakened by the alarm on his wife’s phone while experiencing a nightmare about an attack. He then recalled finding his wife unresponsive on the floor, surrounded by blood. He said he doesn’t remember killing her.
“There was blood all over the floor and it looked like a slug laying there beside her on the floor. So I stepped over her to turn her phone off and she was not moving. She wasn’t answering any call that I asked of her,” Bradley told the officers.
Charged with first-degree murder, Bradley pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $1 million bond, of which he posted $70,000. As he awaits his next court hearing, he is under curfew and required to wear a tracking device.
This incident has sparked discussions about the potential effects of PTSD on veterans, and how such conditions might have influenced this tragic event.
