A25206600

Having previously been at a victim conference hearing, the State knows the board is familiar with the underlying facts of this matter. Harris lured Ellen Bradley into a marriage not even her family knew about, had her take out over a million dollars of life insurance with him as the primary beneficiary, and then arranged her murder.

He arranged the murder with Matthew Pearson. They plotted to get Ellen someplace they felt they could safely kill her. Once she was there, they shot her multiple times.

When arrested, books called How to Change Your Name and How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found were found in his apartment, as were copies of the insurance policies and numerous photographs of women (none of them were of Bradley).

The Board is also aware that Harris is the prime suspect in another murder and an attempted murder. In the attempted murder, Harris is suspected of shooting the manager of a pizza place in the head, which occurred shortly after Harris was fired since he was suspected of stealing from the store. In the murder, he is suspected of stabbing a woman pregnant with his second child to death, which occurred shortly after she sought child support from him.

At the victim conference the State attended, the Bradley Family's pain was palpable. Ellen's mother told the board how she developed cancer and her husband suffered a heart attack shortly after Harris murdered Ellen. She told the board that doctors believed those medical problems grew from the stress and trauma that Harris caused.



Harris stole a loving daughter, sister, and aunt from her family. He stole a good person from the rest of us. And he did this not out of anger, frustration, or even hate; but out of pure, unadulterated greed. He plotted and carried out a sham marriage and a brutal murder in the hopes of scamming insurance money.

Harris, along with Pearson, plotted out Ellen's murder and did so purely for financial gain. Under no circumstances should Harris ever take a single breath of free air. He should spend the rest of his undeserved life in prison. Bradley's family and, indeed, society as a whole deserve no less.

Public Hearing Comments