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A Washington woman displayed an unsettling demeanor in court as she received her sentence for the murder of her father. Alyssa Bradburn, 33, was sentenced on April 2 to nearly 28 years in prison for the first-degree murder of her father, Timothy Bradburn. This verdict was announced by the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorneyās Office.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors observed that Bradburn maintained a stoic presence, often wearing a smile on her face. During her testimony, she expressed an unexpected enjoyment of the trial process itself, yet acknowledged her guilt by stating that she deserved punishment and was ready to accept her sentence.
The incident that led to this conviction occurred on June 25, 2024, when Alyssa called 911 to report that she had shot her father. The shooting took place as Timothy Bradburn was returning home from a vacation in Hawaii. Details from court records and evidence presented during the trial painted a grim picture of the premeditated act.
She explained during her own testimony, according to prosecutors, that āshe enjoyed the trial experience but that she deserved to be punished and would accept her sentence.āĀ
What Were the Allegations Against Alyssa Bradburn?
According to court records and evidence presented at the trial, Alyssa called 911 on June 25, 2024, to report that she shot her father as he was returning from a vacation in Hawaii.
āBradburn told dispatchers that her fatherās body was in the entryway of their home in Northwest Spokane,ā prosecutors said, āand that she would be sitting outside waiting for police.ā
When detectives arrived on the scene, Alyssa told them that she shot her father twice in the chest and once in the head āto make sure he was deadā as he was walking through the front door with his suitcase.Ā
The medical examiner ultimately determined, however, that Timothy had been shot four, and not three, times.Ā
āPrior to killing her father, Bradburn practiced aiming the gun in the home and got help loading the firearm at a gun range,ā prosecutors said. āBradburn said she began planning to kill her father about three weeks prior and began journaling about it four days prior.ā
The 33-year-old initially told police that she shot her father in self-defense because he had been abusive to her and was violent with her dogs, however, KXLYĀ reported, she later recanted those claims.
Trace Bradburn Addresses Court During Sentencing
During the sentencing, her brother Trace Bradburn spoke of the impact his fatherās death has had on his life.Ā
“I just have to live my life with that,ā he said, according to KXLY, āand it just guts me every day.ā
He added that the āfalse accusationsā that his sister made against his father have ādeeply tarnished his memory.ā
āThat is devastating to me,ā he explained, ābecause my dad was an amazing man and he never did anything to hurt anyone.ā
Prosecutors argued for a maximum sentence of 380 months, which included an enhancement for using a firearm in the crime, according to the statement from authorities.
Meanwhile, her defense attorney Brian Raymon advocated for a lesser sentence of 240 months with a 60 month enhancement for the firearm, arguing during the court proceedings that she suffered from a mental illness.
Raymon explained, per KXLY, that “Ms. Bradburn suffers from a state where she sometimes blurs fantasy with reality.ā
Judge Julie McKay imposed a sentence in between the two recommendations, ultimatelyĀ sentencing Alyssa to 280 months for the murder and an additional 60-month sentence enhancement for the firearm.
“It felt a bit to this court, as if Ms. Bradburn felt like she was on stage,ā McKay said while handing down the sentence, according to KREM 2, āand we were all just being performed for.ā