In this entry of our wrongful death serial killer series, we’re going to be talking about American murderer Charlie Brandt. We’ve covered various serial killers and wrongful death cases, but this is perhaps one of the darkest ones yet.
Today, we’re going to be talking about Brandt’s childhood, the beginning of the incidents and the aftermath of his murders. Here is the story of Charlie Brandt.
Brandt’s Upbringing
Charlie Brandt was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Herbert and IIse Brandt, two German immigrants who settled in Texas before moving to Connecticut. Brandt was regarded as a good student, although he had difficulty adjusting to new surroundings and was also considered to be shy. He was a long-time resident of Fort Wayne, and his father transferred to International Harvester’s plant in 1968. The family would also regularly visit Florida, where Brandt would hunt small game with his father.
Brandt’s First Incident
When he was only 13-years-old, Brandt’s father was shaving in the bathroom while his wife, who was eight months pregnant, was taking a bath. Brandt walked into the bathroom and shot both of his parents at point-blank range, killing his mother and her unborn child; Herbert survived the incident.
Brandt was far too young to be charged with murder, so he was sent to a psychiatric hospital instead. As mentioned previously, Brandt was considered a good kid, and the incident seemed “out of character.” Brant was released from the psychiatric hospital a year after the event and his family relocated to Florida. When his father re-married, Brandt was left in Florida to live with his grandparents while his father moved back to Indiana.
Later Years and Incidents
The wrongful death incident, which claimed his mother’s life, wasn’t where Brandt’s murders ended. In 1984, Brandt received a degree in electronics and became a radar specialist. Afterward, he married his girlfriend, Teri. Brandt and his wife were evacuated from their home on September 2nd of 2004 ahead of Hurricane Ivan. The hurricane prompted the couple to go to Orlando and stay with their niece, Michelle.
While staying there, Brandt snapped and killed his wife and niece. He stabbed his wife repeatedly, though he did far worse to Michelle. Brandt decapitated his niece, disemboweled her and removed her heart along with other organs. After the wrongful deaths, he committed suicide by hanging.
When law enforcement searched his home, they found a collection of surgery-themed books, posters and snuff films. Police checked cold case files that matched Brandt’s modus operandi and linked them to other cases, after which they were able to link him to 26 unsolved murders in Florida dating back to 1973. To our knowledge, none of the victims’ families ever sued Brandt’s estate for wrongful death.