Ex-Stripper Claims Car Chase with Defendant Before Farmington Home Invasion

The Testimony of a Former Exotic Dancer in a High-Profile Trial

In the ongoing trial of Branden "Taz" Holloway, 26, and Joshua "Jinx" Jenkins, 32, a former exotic dancer named Mary Bradford has become a central figure. She is the state’s star witness, offering detailed accounts of events that took place during a violent home invasion in Farmington in 2022. Her testimony has been pivotal in shedding light on the alleged criminal activities of the two defendants.

Bradford, who is also known as Maryelizabeth Bradford and "Lola," testified that she had previously worked as a bartender and a scantily-clad bottle server in nightclubs. During this time, she met men who appeared to be drug dealers and lured them into dates where she would steal their jewelry and cash. According to her testimony, she accumulated $500,000 from these thefts.

A Car Chase Before the Home Invasion

During her fifth day on the witness stand, Bradford described an incident involving a car chase that occurred hours before the home invasion. She stated that she was in a car involved in chasing another vehicle around 6:30 p.m. on September 12, 2022. She claimed that she gave her Mercedes-Benz to an acquaintance, but when she asked for it back, the woman did not return it. Later, when she spotted the Mercedes on a Hartford street, she and her cousin, along with Holloway, decided to chase it, leading to a crash.

Bradford also shared an audio recording of a phone call with her boyfriend, in which she spoke fast and used strong language about the incident. In the clip, she said, “That (expletive) crashed the whole car,” and instructed her boyfriend to “get the (expletive) out of the car now!” She added that Holloway's voice could be heard in the background of the recording.

The Planning and Execution of the Robbery

According to her testimony, Holloway later met Jenkins for the robbery, and they were in the area when she met the victims at 10 p.m. before heading out to Farmington. One of the victims, known during the trial by the initials N.B., first saw "Lola" in a Waterbury nightclub. The two later messaged each other on Instagram and conducted a video chat on Facetime, during which N.B. was wearing a chain that Bradford estimated was worth up to $30,000.

After talking to him online, Bradford arranged to meet N.B. and his best friend, C.E., in Hartford. She told N.B. she’d bring a friend, but when she arrived alone, saying the woman couldn’t make it, the three proceeded with their plans to hang out in a hot tub. Bradford followed the two friends in a separate car, while Jenkins and Holloway trailed her at a distance.

The Violent Home Invasion

Not long after the three sat down in the hot tub, two masked and armed men ran up to them from the side of the house, dragged N.B. and C.E. into the house, ripped off their clothes or made them strip, tied them up, and threw them face-down, demanding to know, “where is it?” According to testimony, the victims, who said they didn’t know what the robbers were looking for, were pistol-whipped and sexually assaulted during the roughly two-hour ordeal. Their attackers also threatened to burn down the house and kidnap them for ransom.

The victims managed to escape by jumping from a second-floor balcony after C.E. got out of his bindings and cut N.B. loose. They then ran through the woods behind C.E.’s house, naked, to get help. C.E. later reported that $17,275 worth of jewelry, Versace cologne, and Louis Vuitton clothing were stolen.

The Turnaround and Cooperation

Bradford initially downplayed her role in a lengthy police interview in November 2022—shortly after she found out she was pregnant, according to testimony—but later agreed to cooperate fully in exchange for less jail time. She signed a cooperation agreement with the state on June 17 and pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

Bradford testified that she didn’t steal anything from the Farmington house. She said she left before Holloway and Jenkins because she was afraid someone was going to get killed. “I didn’t know what was going to transpire,” she said.

Legal Proceedings and Defense Challenges

The defense has raised concerns about the prosecution's actions during the trial. Late Tuesday afternoon, another defense attorney threatened to move for a mistrial because the prosecution showed the jury a 15-second clip of Bradford’s interview with police, which the jury was not supposed to see. The clip included details about how she came to know Jenkins, including someone’s name.

Laura Bryll, one of Jenkins’ public defenders, argued that the state had put Mr. Jenkins in a position of prejudice, potentially warranting a mistrial. However, Judge Kevin Doyle ruled that the 15-second clip was shown by accident and that the mistake “doesn’t rise to the level of mistrial.” He struck the video from the record and told the jury to ignore it.

Holloway and Jenkins each face nine charges, including home invasion, robbery with a firearm, third-degree sexual assault, and second-degree assault. The trial continues as both sides present their arguments and evidence.