Marsha Ellen Brantley (née Rader) was born February 28, 1959, and was originally from Illinois. By the time of her disappearance she lived in Cleveland, Tennessee, where she had previously served as director of housing at Lee University. She was an amateur writer who was fond of her dogs and outdoor activities. Friends and family later told investigators that she suffered from depression. She married Donnie Brantley on March 28, 2000.
In 2008, friends began to suspect that the Brantleys' marriage was troubled, despite Marsha Brantley's own claims to the contrary. In March 2009, friends reported that she had told them she was "so depressed she couldn't get off the couch." Cell phone records later led investigators to conclude that she most likely disappeared on or around June 2, 2009, possibly as late as July, though earlier accounts had placed her disappearance more broadly between May and June of that year. In July or August 2009, a neighbor reported not having seen Brantley for a long time and said she appeared to have stopped her usual activities. Around the same time, Brantley's hairdresser asked Donnie Brantley where his wife was and was told that she had left him and that the couple was divorcing.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry in 2009. Donnie Brantley told investigators that his wife had left voluntarily, but a search of the couple's home found her car, cell phone, clothing, and many other valuable belongings still inside. Local law enforcement came to consider it likely that Brantley had been murdered by her husband, though no direct evidence has ever been found to prove that a murder took place, and multiple investigations have failed to determine a cause for her disappearance. The Bradley County Sheriff's Office joined the investigation in 2011, and in November 2012 investigators searched the Brantleys' home again, this time using cadaver dogs.
In July 2013, a grand jury indicted Donnie Brantley on a charge of murdering his wife, and he was arrested and formally charged the following month. In May 2014, the charge was dismissed for lack of evidence. Brantley was arrested a second time in October 2016, in Kingston, Georgia, and was again charged with his wife's murder that December. Those charges were also dropped, in February 2018, again for lack of evidence.
On April 7, 2018, CBS's 48 Hours broadcast an episode on the case, titled "Missing Marsha," which raised the possibility of a financial motive. Marsha Brantley's disappearance remains unresolved, and no cause has ever been officially determined.
Friends began to suspect that the Brantleys' marriage was troubled, despite Marsha Brantley's own claims to the contrary.
2009-03
Friends reported that Marsha Brantley told them she was "so depressed she couldn't get off the couch."
2009-06-02
Cell phone records led investigators to conclude that Marsha Brantley most likely disappeared on or around this date, possibly as late as July; earlier accounts had placed her disappearance more broadly between May and June 2009.
2009
In July or August, a neighbor reported not having seen Marsha Brantley for a long time and that she appeared to have stopped her usual activities; her hairdresser then asked Donnie Brantley about his wife's whereabouts and was told that she had left him and that the couple was divorcing.
2009
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began investigating the case; Donnie Brantley told investigators his wife had left voluntarily, but a search of the home found her car, cell phone, clothing, and many other valuables left behind.
2011
The Bradley County Sheriff's Office became involved in the investigation.
2012-11
Investigators searched the Brantleys' home again, this time using cadaver dogs.
2013-07
A grand jury indicted Donnie Brantley on a charge of murdering his wife.
2013-08
Donnie Brantley was arrested and formally charged with murder.
2014-05
The murder charge against Donnie Brantley was dismissed for lack of evidence.
2016-10
Donnie Brantley was arrested a second time, in Kingston, Georgia.
2016-12
Donnie Brantley was again charged with his wife's murder.
2018-02
The murder charge against Donnie Brantley was dropped a second time, again for lack of evidence.
2018-04-07
CBS's 48 Hours broadcast an episode on the case, titled "Missing Marsha," which raised the possibility of a financial motive.
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Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
48 Hours / 2 min
Marsha Brantley case: Evidence a jury never saw
People
Donnie Brantley
CHARGED
Then-husband of Marsha Brantley. Indicted by a grand jury and arrested and charged with her murder in 2013; that charge was dismissed in 2014 for lack of evidence. Arrested and charged with her murder a second time in 2016; those charges were dropped in 2018, also for lack of evidence. He has never been convicted, tried, or exonerated, and local law enforcement's belief that he murdered his wife has never been proven with direct evidence.
Marsha Brantley
VICTIM
Disappeared from Cleveland, Tennessee, around May to June 2009, most likely on or around June 2, 2009 per cell phone records; her car, cell phone, clothing, and other valuables were left behind, and her fate has never been determined.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Marsha Brantley, a Cleveland, Tennessee woman, disappeared around May to June 2009; her car, phone, and other valuables were left behind, and no direct evidence of what happened to her has ever been found. Her then-husband, Donnie Brantley, was charged with her murder in 2013 and again in 2016, but both charges were later dismissed for lack of evidence, and her disappearance remains unsolved.
