CAF Member dies in Florida 

A Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) master corporal tragically died in Panama City Beach, FL on Sept. 9 after sustaining injuries in an assault the night before. 

MCpl. Martin Liam Brayman, 32, was the victim of a deadly assault that took place over the weekend in Panama City Beach, Fl. 

MCpl. Brayman was posted to Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida earlier this year. 

According to the Bay County Sherriff’s Office, on the evening of Sat. Sept. 7, 2019 MCpl. Brayman invited a group of individuals back to his home after meeting them in a nightclub. The guests, however, were asked to leave a short while after arriving at Brayman’s house because his girlfriend and roommate felt uncomfortable. 

After the group left the house, Brayman went to their car to speak with them, and then, according to witnesses, one of the passengers came out of the car and repeatedly assaulted Brayman. 

The passenger has been identified as Justin Timmons. Timmons was then tracked down by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, with help from the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Sneads Police Department, and the Chattahoochee Police Department.

Timmons was arrested on Sept. 10 in Leon County, Florida after a warrant was issued on an open count of murder. Timmons will now be transported to Bay County Jail. 

According to the Department of National Defence, MCpl. Brayman was an Aerospace Control Operator and was assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command Detachment Tyndall this year at Panama City, Florida.

He joined the CAF in 2006 and has been deployed on Operation CALUMET, Canada’s support to the Multinational Force and Observers peacekeeping operation in the Sinai Peninsula from Oct 2017 – March 2018; and Operations ARTEMIS, Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) mission to help stop terrorism and to make Middle Eastern waters more secure from April 2008 – December 2008.

“His next of kin have been notified, and the CAF continues to support them during this difficult time. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends,” said Jessica Lamirande, a spokesperson for the CAF.