Affidavit: Cleveland Co. Man Stabbed Wife With Screwdriver Before Setting House On Fire

A man arrested in connection to an arson case in Cleveland County had stabbed his wife multiple times with a screwdriver before setting the house on fire, according to an affidavit released on Monday.

According to authorities, on Monday, November 23, crews responded to a fire at a home on Carnegie Circle near Indian Hills and Midnight Drive, and just north of Little Axe. While fighting the flames, they found the body of 38-year-old Brandi Dawn Fish inside the home.

12/27/2015 Related Story: Man Arrested In Connection With Cleveland County Fire

Deputies found the victim’s husband, Cody Fish, about a mile from the scene walking in the intersection of 156th Avenue and Indian Hills Road. He was then arrested on a first-degree arson complaint.

The Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that Brandi Fish suffered multiple wounds consistent with a Phillip’s head screwdriver. Deputies served a search warrant at the scene and found several items, including three Philips head screwdrivers.

The Medical Examiner determined that Brandi Fish’s cause of death was homicide, and her manner of death was blunt force trauma. A Forensic Pathologist said he found numerous wounds to the victim’s head, face, neck and upper back.

Cody Fish confessed to having an altercation with Brandi, which resulted in him punching her. He said he then struck Brandi with a wrench and stabbed her multiple times with a screwdriver in her head. He told deputies that he then panicked, used a fuel based heater as a heat source and placed blankets over the heater to start a fire.

The victim’s body was found where Cody Fish said he started the fire, according to the affidavit.

Court documents also show Brandi filed a protective order against Cody Fish in 2013, but a month later it was dismissed. A year later, she filed another protective order. Cody Fish was convicted three months later of violating that protective order after showing up at her home.

Cody Fish told deputies that he was aware of the Protection Order against him. He said he had been in contact with the victim for the last several months, and was living at the same address at the time of the incident.

Fish is now facing additional charges of first-degree murder and violation of a victim protection order.