In a shocking case out of Indiana, a 44-year-old woman is facing charges of bigamy and falsifying a marriage license after authorities say she married her biological father—while still legally married to another man.
Her motive? Allegedly, to collect her father’s $350 monthly payments from Veterans Affairs while he serves time in prison.
A Web of Lies
Kimberly Tempel, from Tell City, is accused of lying on her marriage license application to cover up the true nature of her relationship with her so-called “husband.” According to police, she falsely claimed that she was not already married and that her new spouse was no closer than a second cousin.
But court records tell a different story—her new husband was actually her biological father, 59-year-old Bradly McCollom.
McCollom, who is currently incarcerated for violating his probation, also has a disturbing criminal past, including a federal conviction related to child pornography. But that didn’t stop Tempel from attempting to marry him last summer, on July 26, 2024, despite being in the middle of a divorce from her legal husband.
The Unraveling of the Marriage Scam
The scheme came to light when McCollom’s sister tipped off authorities. She allegedly provided police with DNA results proving an undeniable genetic link between McCollom and Tempel—showing a “99.999999%” probability that he is her biological father.
But Tempel’s deception didn’t end with her familial ties. Investigators say she also lied about McCollom’s criminal history, failing to disclose that he was a convicted lifetime sex offender.
The marriage license itself was riddled with inaccuracies, including fake addresses provided by both Tempel and McCollom. With so many red flags, it didn’t take long for law enforcement to put the pieces together and bring charges against Tempel.
Twist in the Case: A Mysterious DNA Test Dispute
After her arrest, the story took yet another turn. A person claiming to have inside knowledge of the case contacted local news station WEHT, insisting that the accusations were false. This anonymous source even provided DNA test results—allegedly from the DNA Diagnostics Center—stating that McCollom is not Tempel’s biological father.
However, WEHT has not been able to verify these claims, and additional testing is reportedly pending.
Legal Troubles and What’s Next
For now, Tempel has been charged with providing false information on a marriage license and bigamy. She was briefly taken into custody but has since been released. As for McCollom, he remains behind bars on a probation violation but is expected to be released this July.
The big question remains: Was this truly an attempt to game the system for $350 a month, or is there more to the story? And will the new DNA test results change the course of this bizarre case?
As investigators dig deeper, the truth may yet take another unexpected turn. Stay tuned.
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