Accused individual admits culpability in the slaying of Chaunti Bryla, a mother from the South Side.

In a shocking turn of events, Marvin Bailey, a man once accused of killing Chaunti Bryla, has entered a guilty plea on counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Bailey, who was initially charged with first-degree murder in connection to Bryla's death, was living at her South Side residence in winter 2018, shortly before her disappearance in March 2019.

The charges against Bailey were amended from first-degree murder and conceal homicidal death. The guilty plea was entered on September 3, 2025.

Surveillance footage showed Bailey withdrawing money from Bryla's bank card and making purchases for bungee cords and straps. He was also seen with a large blue bin, which prosecutors say contained Bryla's DNA. The exact location of the DNA evidence and Bryla's body, however, remain unknown.

Bailey was last seen with the container behind a strip mall next to a hotel where he took the container. The community activist Andrew Holmes stated that Bryla's loved ones were sick to their stomachs due to the evidence presented in court. After hearing the evidence, Bryla's loved ones left the Leighton Criminal Courthouse overcome with emotion.

Before his guilty plea, Bailey was on parole for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. It is important to note that Bailey is the half-brother of Bryla's 10-year-old son.

Chaunti Bryla was a 43-year-old woman who went missing from Chicago's South Side in 2019. Her disappearance sparked a widespread search and garnered national attention. The details of her case have been a mystery until now, with Bailey's guilty plea providing some closure for Bryla's loved ones.

Bailey is due back in court on a future date for sentencing. As the case continues to unfold, the community and Bryla's loved ones hope for justice and peace.