Alyssa Bradburn, a 33-year-old woman from Washington state, now faces nearly three decades behind bars for the calculated murder of her father. Throughout the trial, a disturbing calmness – even smiles – flickered across her face as the details of her crime unfolded.
On April 2nd, Spokane County Superior Court sentenced Bradburn to 340 months in prison, a consequence of a jury’s conviction for first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. The verdict arrived after weeks of testimony revealing a chilling level of premeditation.
The events leading to Timothy Bradburn’s death began on June 25, 2024, when his daughter dialed 911 to report the unthinkable: she had shot her father upon his return from a trip to Hawaii. She calmly informed dispatchers his body lay in the entryway, and she would await the arrival of police outside.
Investigators discovered Timothy Bradburn was ambushed the moment he stepped through the front door, still clutching his suitcase and keys. He was a man returning home, unaware of the deadly trap awaiting him.
Bradburn confessed to shooting her father three times, initially claiming it was in self-defense. She later chillingly admitted to firing four shots – twice to the chest, and a final, deliberate shot to the head to ensure his death, as confirmed by the autopsy.
The prosecution presented evidence of meticulous planning, spanning weeks before the murder. Bradburn practiced with the firearm within her home and sought assistance at a gun range to learn how to load it effectively. Her intentions were documented in a journal, detailing the steps of her plan.
Despite initially alleging abuse as justification, Bradburn ultimately withdrew those claims. During the trial, she shockingly stated, “I killed Tim Bradburn, and I am guilty,” even expressing a strange acceptance of her impending prison sentence, all while maintaining a disturbing smile.
Her brother, Trace Bradburn, delivered a heartbreaking statement during sentencing, describing the profound loss and the damage inflicted upon their family’s memory. He vehemently refuted the earlier accusations of abuse, defending his father’s character.
“The false accusations made against him have deeply tarnished his memory,” he stated, adding that his father was a kind man who harmed no one. The weight of this injustice, he confessed, “guts me every day.”
While prosecutors sought a more severe sentence, citing the heinous nature of the crime and the extensive planning involved, the defense argued for leniency, pointing to Bradburn’s lack of prior criminal history and potential mental health struggles. They suggested she sometimes blurred the lines between reality and fantasy.
Judge Julie McKay ultimately imposed a sentence of 280 months, plus a 60-month enhancement for the firearm, totaling 340 months. She acknowledged the gravity of the crime and the irreparable damage inflicted upon the family.
In addition to her prison term, Bradburn will serve a period of community custody and is permanently prohibited from contacting her brother. The judge recognized that no sentence could ever truly mend the fractured lives left in the wake of this tragedy.
Bradburn’s legal team remained silent following the sentencing, offering no comment on her demeanor or the outcome of the case. The family is left to grapple with a loss compounded by betrayal and the chilling realization of a daughter’s calculated act.
