Brandi Matthews, an erotic dancer, was ruled missing until hikers found her skeletal remains near Eldon, Missouri, in 2009. The following investigation led to her abusive ex-boyfriend Kelly Simino’s conviction on a second-degree murder charge. The case is now set to feature in an episode of ID’s Murder in the Heartland on November 29, 2023, at 9 p.m. ET.
An official synopsis for the upcoming episode reads, “Brandi Mathews goes missing, and only her mother seems interested in searching for her; when her remains turn up over two years later, police dig into Brandi’s work and romantic partners to find her killer.”
Investigators linked Simino to Matthews’ murder using witness accounts. Reportedly, people came forward alleging that he admitted to strangling her to death. In 2011, a jury eventually convicted the accused of second-degree murder in November 2011, per The Columbus Dispatch.
Where is Brandi Matthews’ killer Kelly Simino Now?
According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, Kelly Simino is currently serving his sentence at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. He was Brandi Matthews’ boyfriend when she disappeared in September 2006. The couple had an abusive history. Matthews had been missing for nearly three years when a hiker found her remains under a bridge in rural Miller County, Missouri.
Lake Expo News reported that Mathews had reported at least six domestic assault incidents involving Simino in 2006 until her disappearance. In fact, authorities even referred to the latter as a danger to society and held a reputation for being involved in the “drug culture.” The victim had even filed a restraining order against him, alleging that she was afraid he would kill her.
The outlet reported that investigators claimed a witness alleged Simino admitted to killing Matthews. According to the witness statement, he murdered “Brandi Mathews by choking her or breaking her neck.” Another stated that he confessed to accidentally breaking the victim’s neck. Meanwhile, a third witness stated how the suspect once wished “he could kill ‘that bitch’ and get away with it.”
Further, the most condemning account came from another witness who supposedly saw Simino committing the crime. This individual claimed that he saw a male and a female fighting in the autumn of 2006 near the area where Matthews’ remains were found.
Murder in the Heartland will chronicle Brandi Matthews’ case on Wednesday, November 29.
