Carrier charged with murder, abuse of corpse in death of wife

Published 4:00 pm Monday, November 21, 2022

 Nearly three months after remains were found in a burned vehicle, a Carter County man has been charged with first degree murder in the death of his wife.

Brandon Clay Carrier was arrested Monday and charged in connection to the death of his wife, Shannon Marie Issacs, according to the Carter County Sheriff’s Department.

The investigation into Ms. Isaacs death began on August 23 when the remains of a deceased female were found inside a burned vehicle and concluded when investigators presented their evidence to the Carter County Grand Jury on Nov. 10, which led to the indictment being handed down.

The indictment additionally charges Carrier with abuse of a corpse, setting fire to personal property, and two counts of tampering with evidence.

“I want to thank my officers and agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for their tireless work in investigating the death of Ms. Isaacs and apprehension of the person responsible,” said Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley.

Early in the investigation, officers were working with the belief that the remains found in a burned vehicle on Aug.t 23 were those of Ms. Isaacs, but the identity of the remains was not positively confirmed until forensic analysis was completed at the UT Forensic Anthropology Center.

“That analysis has been completed and the remains have been positively identified as Ms. Isaacs,” Fraley said. “Our hearts go out to Ms. Isaacs’ family and friends as they grieve for their lost loved one. We hope they can find some solace in knowing that the man responsible for her death is being held accountable.”

The investigation into Ms. Isaacs’ death began on the evening of August 23, 2022, when she was reported missing to officers of the Elizabethton Police Department after failing to pick her children up from school and family members were not able to locate her at her home. CCSD Deputies later responded to a report of a vehicle fire at a residence at Carrier’s residence on Dry Branch Road. When officers arrived on scene, they located a vehicle that had been destroyed by a fire. The remains of Ms. Isaacs were located inside the vehicle.

Carrier was developed as a suspect early in the investigation, according to Fraley. Officers sought Carrier for questioning as well as seeking to arrest him on an outstanding warrant for an unrelated matter. On September 20, officers located Carrier and arrested him on the outstanding warrant, and he has been held in the Carter County Detention Center since that date. Carrier is scheduled to appear in Carter County Criminal Court on November 30 in connection with the outstanding warrant. No date has been set at this time for arraignment on the charges related to Ms. Isaacs’ murder.