ST. LOUIS — The circuit attorney’s office in St. Louis has refiled charges against the man suspected of pushing his wife of two weeks to her death from a downtown parking garage in 2019.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office initially charged Bradley Jenkins, 33, of Taylorville, Illinois, with one count of third-degree assault not long after the incident, which happened shortly before 2 a.m. June 2, 2019 at the Stadium East Parking Garage near Busch Stadium.
About three months later, Gardner’s office issued a statement saying it needed more evidence. The case was dismissed and the circuit attorney's office said there were plans to refile.
The refiling happened about 2 1/2 years later.
A St. Louis grand jury indicted Jenkins on one charge of third-degree domestic assault on April 19, according to court documents. He pleaded not guilty Friday.
The initial investigation
When police arrived at the parking garage for a report that a woman had fallen, they said they found Jenkins straddling Allissa Martin’s body. He was covered in blood, was agitated and appeared to be intoxicated, according to a probable cause statement filed the day after Martin’s death.
Officers found Martin’s cell phone on the roof of the parking garage — and it was still recording.
When they reviewed the footage, police said the video showed Martin point the camera on herself and then turn it toward Jenkins. They’re heard arguing and she asked him to stop punching her in the face.
Shortly after she dropped the camera, police said they could hear her scream as she fell.
When police questioned Jenkins, an officer on the case stated in court documents that, "the defendant told me several lies."
The officer said Jenkins claimed he wasn’t on the roof with Martin and that the argument didn’t get physical.
Jenkins and Martin were newlyweds, not even married two weeks, Jenkins told police. They were at the Cards-Cubs game the night Martin fell to her death. Coworkers who were at the game with them that night told police they had gotten into an argument.
Three months after the incident, Gardner's office released this statement when it dismissed the case: "The City Circuit Court requires an indictment within 90 days after charging a case. Unfortunately, we are still awaiting evidence from police and the medical examiner that are required for the Grand Jury to decide this case. Once we receive the necessary evidence, we intend to refile the charges. In the meantime, anyone with information is encouraged to call police or our office."
New arrest and charges refiled
On April 19, 2022, a St. Louis grand jury indicted Jenkins on one charge of third-degree domestic assault. He was arrested three days later. On Friday, April 29, he made his first court appearance and entered a not guilty plea.
The circuit attorney's office asked for no bond in the case. However, a judge granted Jenkins a bond of $5,000, but he must turn over his passport and not have any contact with Martin's relatives.
He's scheduled to be back in court on May 6.
