The Disappearance of Stefanie Damron

 

Stefanie Damron has been missing since September 23rd, 2024. The then-13-year-old was last seen at her family's home in New Sweden, Maine. According to the family, Stefanie walked away from the home and into the woods after an argument with her older sister. She never returned home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Stefanie is the Damron's middle child. She has five siblings; at the time of her disappearance, they ranged from the ages of 8 to 21. The Damron family lives an "off-grid" lifestyle - their New Sweden home is a yurt-like structure that does not have any indoor plumbing or running water. The home is also located on 26 acres of land and is surrounded by vast woods. 

Stefanie's parents, Lisa and Christopher 'Dale' Damron told police that they were not home at the time Stefanie vanished. They explained that they were in town to fill out a job application, and they brought two of their children with them. Four of the other children, including Stefanie, stayed behind. At some point, Stefanie and her older sister got into an argument over chores. The family stated that the argument prompted Stefanie to storm off into the woods.

Lisa Damron explained that her oldest daughter sent her a text message about Stefanie being missing around 3:00 PM. She said that it was not unusual for Stefanie to want to take time to herself when she was upset. The family said that they looked around the woods for her, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Stefanie's parents contacted police the following day to report their daughter missing. 

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What happened to Stefanie?

Source: NBC News

As noted above, Stefanie seemingly vanished into thin air after being seen walking into the woods near her family's New Sweden, Maine home. The family stated that she was familiar with the woods and had ventured through the area several times in the past. Stefanie also reportedly had run off before during times of frustration, but according to family, she was always found within a few hours. 

Most reports indicate that Stefanie did not have a cell phone at the time of her disappearance. The Damron family's "off-grid" lifestyle gave Stefanie and her siblings very little access to electronic devices and social media. While the oldest Damron sibling seemed to have a phone, it does not appear that the other children had regular access to such items. 

More about the Damron family.

Two years before Stefanie's disappearance, the Damron family moved from Rusk, Texas to New Sweden, Maine. The move occurred after an incident in Texas in which the parents - Lisa and Christopher 'Dale' Damron - were arrested after they were found to be intoxicated at a local McDonald's while two of their children were left in their car. Lisa Damron later pleaded guilty to a charge of deadly conduct and received a deferred sentence.

Some of the Damron children were temporarily removed from their parent's custody following this incident. Once custody was restored, the family moved to Maine. The family moved with a man named Richard, who the children refer to as their grandfather, but is actually a lifelong associate of Dale Damron. After moving to Maine, the family befriended a man named Andrew - who the children refer to as 'Uncle Andrew'. The yurt structure that the family moved into is on Andrew's property.

Stefanie and her siblings were reportedly homeschooled and "taught the basics". After Stefanie was reported missing, her parents told police that they planned to send their children to the government program Job Corp, which would help them gain qualifications to obtain GEDs. Reports state that Stefanie's older brother attended one of their classes, but there are no known records of any of the other Damron children doing so. 

Stefanie's access to a support system outside of her immediate family was very limited. She did not attend school and was not involved in any community activities such as sports or clubs. According to her family, she had "no friends" at the time of her disappearance.

More about Stefanie's disappearance.

As previously stated, Stefanie was reportedly home with a few of her siblings at the time of her disappearance. The Damron parents were not home, but the "grandfather", Richard was present. According to Richard, he was working at a maintenance project at the home when he saw Stefanie storm out of the house with tears in her eyes. 

It appears that Richard and possibly the older sister with whom Stefanie had argued witnessed Stefanie walking into the woods. Although the woods are vast, there is also reportedly a path through the area that leads to a main road. According to NBC News, "the family heard a vehicle pass by shortly after Stefanie ran off, although nobody saw it. They do not know if it was a vehicle, a four-wheeler, a motorcycle or something. By the time anybody got up there, the vehicle was already gone.”

The search for Stefanie.

The Damron family reportedly searched for Stefanie themselves around the area before contacting police. Stefanie was formally reported missing on September 24th, 2024. She turned 14 on October 6th, 2024 - about two weeks after she vanished.

Initial searches for Stefanie were extensive. Lt. Darrin Crane from the Maine State Police told Dateline, “Several K-9 teams went very early on. We’ve also gone back with cadaver dogs. We have talked to neighbors repeatedly — just seeing if they remember anything, or have heard anything, or saw anything suspicious that day or around that time frame.” A large-scale search of the dense wooded area took place for several days. Unfortunately, nothing was found.

Weeks stretched on without any updates in the case. Then, in December 2024, the FBI announced that they would be joining the Maine State Police on their investigation into Stefanie's disappearance. A $15,000 reward in exchange for information was announced as well. 

Meanwhile, as news about Stefanie's disappearance began to circulate around news outlets and social media, speculation began to build as well. Many people had questions about the Damron's family chosen off-grid lifestyle - especially as it seemingly kept their children isolated from the outside world. Many also questioned whether or not the children were receiving a suitable education.

There were also inevitable concerns about the arrest/CPS incident that had occurred just two years prior to Stefanie's disappearance in Texas. There has been speculation that the Damron parents chose to move the family to such a remote area in Maine to avoid further incidents involving CPS from occurring. Concerns about the parent's alcohol and possible drug use has been big topic as well. 

Despite all of this, police have publicly stated that they do not believe Lisa or Dale Damron are directly responsible for Stefanie's disappearance. However, they have not completely ruled out foul play as a factor in the case either. The fact that a vehicle was heard passing by shortly afterward Stefanie left her home makes it possible that she was picked up - but at this time, police have not been able to determine anything of the sort. 

It's also possible that Stefanie succumbed to an accidental death in the woods. However, there have not been any direct signs of that, either. In May 2025, another search took place for Stefanie that lasted over three days. The search included "personnel from the Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service, FBI, numerous volunteer search-and-rescue organizations and support teams using drones, K9s and horses." The search ended unsuccessfully; nothing of interest was found. 

Still missing.

At the time of her disappearance, Stefanie was approximately 5'0" and 130 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and black Harley Davidson hiking boots.

The MSP and FBI are continuing to investigate Stefanie's disappearance. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact the Maine State Police at 207-532-5400 or submit a tip online with the FBI.

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Sources:
ABC 8 Maine
FBI
NBC News
Team Stefanie

The Disappearance and Homicide of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase

Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase vanished at the age of 21 on August 20th, 2001. The young woman was living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the time of her disappearance. Originally from Japan, Mayu came to the United States as a foreign exchange student. She lived with a host family and was enrolled at Oklahoma City Community College.

According to reports, Mayu attended classes as usual on the day she vanished. There is very little additional information about the events leading up to her disappearance. What is known is that after August 20th, Mayu never attended her classes or contacted her loved ones ever again. She was reported missing on August 27th, 2001.

Mayu's fate remained a mystery for nearly six years. Then, in April 2007, human remains were found in a wooded area near the Boy Scout Camp Kickapoo in southeast Oklahoma City. In August 2007, DNA confirmed that the human remains were that of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase. The case then shifted to a homicide investigation.

What happened to Mayu?

More about Mayu.

It's known that Mayu came from Japan to the United States as part of a foreign exchange program. According to Oklahoma Cold Cases, she graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma English Institute. Afterwards, Mayu opted to enroll in a two-year program at Oklahoma City Community College. She had the option of enrolling into a four-year program at UCO but chose the two-year program so she could sooner return to Japan and be with her fiancé. 

When Mayu came to Oklahoma, she moved in with a host family. She became particularly close with her host mother, Jean. Jean described Mayu as "shy and gullible but very much wanted friends and could have been swayed into the wrong crowd." 

Mayu also often kept in touch with her family members in Japan. Her relatives quickly grew worried when she seemingly fell out of touch following August 20th, 2001.

Mayu's disappearance.

Oklahoma Cold Cases notes that Mayu's friend Brenda saw Mayu on the day of her disappearance. The two were classmates, and they reportedly drove to class together on August 20th, 2001. It appears that none of Mayu's loved ones saw or heard from her again after that day. As previously noted, she was reported missing on August 27th, 2001.

Oklahoma Cold Cases also reports that Mayu's last bank transaction occurred on August 23rd, 2001. It was reportedly a charge for $105.29 at an Albertson's located on 7000 S. May Avenue. It's unknown if any witnesses saw Mayu herself at the store. It was also noted that, once Mayu was reported missing, police found several faxes stacked up in her machine at her home - indicating that she had been missing for a few days.

A cold case disappearance.

Mayu's disappearance soon faded into a cold case. Years passed without any sign of the young woman. In 2006, Mayu's family members in Japan traveled to Oklahoma with a film crew for a Japanese crime show to search for Mayu's body near Lake Overholser. The search was prompted after a British psychic told Mayu's family that her body was buried in that area. Unfortunately, the investigative efforts did not turn up any evidence related to Mayu's disappearance.

Remains found.

Over a year after that search, on April 14th, 2007, a human skull was found in a wooded area near the Boy Scout Camp Kickapoo in southeast Oklahoma City - located approximately four miles north of Lake Overholser. A group of boys were hiking in the area when they spotted the skull. Police were called, and while they searched the scene, they found more human remains that matched the skull.

A forensic anthropologist concluded that the remains belonged to "an Asian or Hispanic female between the ages of 18 and 25," and that the female had been deceased somewhere between 2 and 10 years. As such, speculation that that the remains belonged to Mayu quickly began to build.

It took months, but in August 2007, DNA confirmed that the human remains were, in fact, that of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase. The case was then shifted to a homicide investigation, though the anthropologist was unable to determine an exact cause of death. 

Still unsolved.

Several years have passed since Mayu's remains were found, but the investigation into her death remains unsolved. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified. The Oklahoma City Police Department is the investigative agency in this case.

If you have any information that could help solve the homicide of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase, please contact authorities at 405-297-1126.

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Sources:

Charley Project
NBC News
News on 6
Oklahoma Cold Cases
The Oklahoman
Pioneer

 

The Disappearance of Siphat Chau

 

Siphat Chau vanished during the early morning hours of December 24th, 2005. At the time, the 19-year-old was visiting his family in Portland, Maine for the holidays. Siphat was last sitting on the couch at his parent's house between 12:30 and 1:00 AM. Hours later, when his family woke up, they noticed Siphat was gone. He has never been seen or heard from again.

Siphat left many of his personal belongings behind, including his wallet, car, and keys. It's believed that he was wearing jeans, a red sweatshirt, and Timberland boots at the time he went missing. Other than that, there are very few details available about the events leading up to his disappearance.

Loved ones of Siphat noted that his sudden absence was incredibly uncharacteristic. Friends described Siphat as charming and smart. He graduated with honors from Portland High School and earned a partial scholarship to University of Maine in Orono. 

However, like many recent high school graduates, Siphat was unsure of his future. He reportedly waited until the last minute to decide to enroll at the university for the fall 2005 semester. Siphat majored in business and finished his first semester, but did not register for classes for the spring semester.

 

Several reports note that Siphat was having financial difficulties at the time due to online gambling. His family reportedly asked him to come back to Portland indefinitely to be closer to his support system. Siphat's friends and family also noted that he did not often talk to them about his personal issues. Despite this, they have never believed he would voluntarily stay out-of-touch. 

Both Portland Police and Bangor Police have investigative agency in Siphat's disappearance. If you have any information that could help solve Siphat's case, please contact the Portland Police Department at 207-874-8575 or the Bangor Police Department at 207-947-7384.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Portland Police
Tapatalk
Websleuths
WGME 1

The Disappearance of Haneul Oh

Source: fbi.gov

Haneul Oh has been missing since December 2021. The then-21-year-old was last seen in Davie, Florida. Haneul is originally from South Korea but was living in Florida at the time of her disappearance. Reports state that she was both studying and working at a study abroad institute. 

Haneul was reported missing on January 28th, 2022 - her 22nd birthday. Throughout the investigation, it was determined that the last confirmed sighting of Haneul occurred over a month earlier, on December 20th, 2021. Further details about the events leading up to her disappearance are unknown, but investigators have said that she is missing under suspicious circumstances. 

The FBI got involved in the search for Haneul early into the investigation. It was then reported that Haneul might be traveling in a gray 2005 Toyota Corolla with the New Jersey license plate number L20NAZ. She reportedly has ties to both New Jersey and Baltimore, Maryland - but the extent of those connections has not been disclosed. 

Source: fbi.gov

Years have passed since Haneul vanished, and no updates have been provided on her case. The FBI remains involved in the investigation. If you have any information that could lead to Haneul's whereabouts, please contact the Davie Police Department 954-693-8200 or submit a tip with the FBI online. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
FBI
Investigation Discovery
Korean article
Websleuths

 

The Disappearance of Maria Nina Miller

Source: FBI.gov

Maria Nina Miller has been missing since February 4th, 2011. 

The last known sighting of the then-34-year-old woman occurred at her workplace, Dandy Mini Mart, in Towanda, Pennsylvania. Maria told coworkers that she was going to take the next few days off so she could go with her husband to visit his sick mother in Charleston, West Virginia. She planned to be back in Towanda by February 7th to work an overnight shift, but she never showed up. Maria has never been seen or heard from again.

Maria is originally from the Philippines. She met her husband, Kenneth Miller, while he was deployed in Philippines by the U.S. Army. The couple moved to the United States in 2005. They lived in Norfolk, Virginia for approximately five years before moving to Towanda, Pennsylvania in 2010. There, Kenneth worked as a recruiter while Maria worked at the Dandy Mini Mart.

Police were not notified about Maria's disappearance until June 10th, 2011 - over four months after she was last seen. The U.S. Army filed the report after it became known that nobody had seen or been able to get in contact with Maria for a long period of time. Throughout the investigation, it was established that the last confirmed sighting of Maria occurred at the Dandy Mini Mart on February 4th. 

When Kenneth was questioned, he said that he and Maria traveled to Charleston after her February 4th shift. He claimed that the two of them got into an argument in the parking lot of Charleston Area Medical Center, and that Maria demanded to be taken to Virginia Beach. Kenneth said that he complied with her request and ended up dropping her off at an apartment complex in the Virginia Beach area. He told police that, after that, he never saw or heard from his wife again.

There has been inevitable suspicion about Kenneth since the onset of the investigation. Not only did he not report Maria missing, but he also claimed that he drove Maria all the way from Charleston to Virginia Beach - over 400 miles away and an approximate 6-to-7-hour drive - to drop her off. This would mean that the couple had already traveled an approximate 6-to-7 hours from Towanda to Charleston, and then another 6-to-7 hours from Charleston to Virginia Beach. 

It's worth noting that investigators have not been able to confirm Kenneth's version of events. All online reports about Maria's disappearance state that she was last seen at her workplace in Towanda. As noted above, this appears to be the last sighting of her that police have been able to verify. However, Kenneth has continuously denied involvement in Maria's disappearance. Police have declined to answer whether or not they consider Kenneth a suspect.

The FBI is involved in the investigation into Maria's disappearance. There is a monetary reward available in exchange for information that could help solve the case. If you have any information that could help, please submit a tip. 

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Sources:
ABC 27
Charley Project
FBI
Star Gazette

The Disappearance of Le-Thuy 'Cathy' Tran

Source: NamUs

Le-Thuy 'Cathy' Tran has been missing since January 31st, 2012. The then-45-year-old was last seen at her home in Harvey, Louisiana. Cathy's landlord said that she last saw Cathy when she paid her rent at her apartment complex's management office. The landlord later called police after she noticed Cathy had seemingly vanished after making that payment.

Very little information is known about the circumstances surrounding Cathy's disappearance. According to certain reports, Cathy had spent time gambling in Biloxi, Mississippi prior to her disappearance. She reportedly returned to her home in Louisiana on January 15th, 2012. It's unclear if this is connected to her disappearance; further information about her time in Biloxi is unknown. 

A local New Orleans news report about Cathy's disappearance was published on February 29th, 2012. The report states that, during that time, detectives were unable to get in touch with Cathy's family or friends. Several years have passed since then, so it's unknown if this is still true. There have been no further updates about Cathy's case.

Cathy was known to drive a light gray 2009 Toyota Camry with the California license plate number 6DXT129 at the time of her disappearance. The car has also not been seen since she vanished. 

If you have any information that could help solve Cathy's disappearance, please contact the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office 504-364-5300.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office
NamUs
WDSU

Timeline Series: The Disappearance and Murder of Brittanee Drexel

Source: WJBF

Brittanee Drexel was only 17 years old when she was kidnapped and murdered by register sex offender Raymond Moody on April 25th, 2009. Though the case had many twists and turns, Brittanee's fate remained a mystery for over a decade until the truth was finally revealed during 2022. Below is a timeline of all the major events in this case:

October 7th, 1991: Brittanee is born in Rochester, New York. Her parents, Dawn Pleckan and John Kahyaoglu, were teenagers at the time she was born. Dawn and John's romantic relationship had also ended by the time Brittanee was born.

1991-1997: Dawn eventually marries Chad Drexel. Chad adopts Brittanee. The family settles in Chili - a suburb of Rochester, New York.

A young Brittanee Drexel. (source: Facebook)

May 1997: Dawn and Chad's daughter, Myrissa, is born.

2003: Dawn and Chad's son, Camdyn, is born. The Drexel family continues to live in Chili.

The Drexel Family. (Source: CBS News)

2006: Brittanee enters high school at Gates Chili High School in Rochester. She eventually begins a romantic relationship with classmate John Grieco. Their relationship is on-and-off over the next two and a half years. 

Source: Find a Grave Memorial

2008-2009: Brittanee's parents, Dawn and Chad, split up. Chad moves out of the family's home. According to Dawn, Brittanee struggles a lot with her parent's divorce. 

April 2009: Brittanee's spring break from her junior year in high school begins. She asks her mother if she can go to Myrtle Beach with some new friends. Dawn does not allow Brittanee to go, as no adults were accompanying the group. This leads to a fight between the mother and daughter.

April 22nd, 2009: Brittanee asks Dawn if she can go to a friend's house in Chili for the next few days; Dawn agrees. However, unbeknownst to Dawn, Brittanee actually goes with her other group of friends to Myrtle Beach.

Brittanee in Myrtle Beach during April 2009. (source: Help Find Brittanee Drexel)

April 22nd - April 24th, 2009: Brittanee is in constant communication via text with her boyfriend, John Grieco, during her trip. She expresses that the trip is not going as planned; she's not getting along with the girls as well as she thought she would.

April 24th, 2009: Brittanee meets a guy from Illinois in Myrtle Beach. He invites her to hang out in his hotel room that evening; Brittanee accepts the invitation. While there, a brief video of Brittanee in the room is captured on a cell phone.

April 25th, 2009 (daytime): Brittanee is in touch with John, her mother, and others throughout the day via text. She is also in touch with Peter Brozowitz, a then-20-year-old acquaintance from Rochester who also happened to be in Myrtle Beach.

April 25th, 2009 (8:00 PM): Brittanee leaves the Bar Harbor hotel, where she is staying, presumably to walk towards the Blue Water Resort - where Brozowitz and his friends are staying.

April 25th, 2009 (8:15 PM): One of the girls Brittanee is on the trip with, Jennifer, texts Brittanee: "where my blk shorts,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:16 PM): Brittanee to Jennifer: "I wore them. Shit did u want to wear them,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:17 PM): Jennifer to Brittanee: "Yupp so go take em off n gimme :)"

April 25th, 2009 (8:18 PM): Brittanee to Jennifer: "Okay.. I will when i get back... Sorry .. I went for a walk but whats going on tonight"

April 25th, 2009 (8:33 PM): Surveillance cameras capture Brittanee arriving at the Blue Water Resort.

Brittanee entering Blue Water Resort. (source: WMBF)

April 25th, 2009 (8:43 PM): Brittanee texts Jennifer, in part, "im going to walk all the way back...," presumably so she can return Jennifer's shorts.

April 25th, 2009 (8:48 PM): Surveillance cameras capture Brittanee exiting the Blue Water Resort.

Source: WMBF

April 25th, 2009 (8:51 PM): While on her walk, Brittanee texts her boyfriend, John Grieco "I'm gong [sic] to ducking [sic] bug you have no idea,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:54 PM): John replies, "Why now baby,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:55 PM): Brittanee texts John, "I'll tell you later when you call me.. I'm so heated,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:57 PM): John texts Brittanee, "Are you going out tonight [sic] Don't let your last night be ruined baby Seariously [sic] for me please just try to enjoy yourself you deserve it more than anyone I know"

April 25th, 2009 (8:58 PM): Brittanee sends her last text to John Grieco: "No fuck that I'm staying in and packing and gong [sic] to sleep probably,"

April 25th, 2009 (8:59 PM): John replies, "Why baby :("

April 25th, 2009 (9:05 PM): John texts Brittanee again, "?? Why boo"

April 25th, 2009 (9:15 PM): John texts Brittanee, "Babe I'm concerned about ya let me k know [sic] what's going on okayy I don't want you out alone if your friends are being dicks, but I also don't want you to ruin your last night there"

April 25th, 2009 (9:15 PM - 10:00 PM): Brittanee receives several calls and texts from John, friends on the trip, and others inquiring about her whereabouts. During this time, Brittanee's phone pings in Surfside, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys, and Georgetown.

April 25th, 2009 (10:00 PM): John texts Brittanee, "I'm calling your mom if I don't hear from you in the next ten min". At this point, Brittanee's mother still does not know Brittanee traveled to Myrtle Beach without permission.

April 25th, 2009 (10:09 PM): Jen texts Brittanee, "ur [sic] mom calling where the fuck r u,"

April 25th, 2009 (10:11 PM - 11:57 pm): Brittanee receives several texts and calls from her friends who are looking for her. Meanwhile, her phone continues to ping throughout several areas of Georgetown and then McClellanville.

April 26th, 2009: A large search effort is launched in the Myrtle Beach area for Brittanee. That same day, Raymond Moody is pulled over for a traffic violation. At the time, police had not connected Moody to Brittanee's disappearance, and there was no sign of Brittanee when Moody was pulled over.

May 11th, 2009: Brittanee's parents and Peter Brozowitz appear on the Dr. Phil show, bringing national attention to Brittanee's disappearance.

Source: Dr. Phil YouTube

June 6th, 2009: Brittanee's case is featured on America's Most Wanted.

November 12th, 2009: Brittanee's case is featured on the cover of People Magazine.

December 2009: Campers find a pair of sunglasses near a body of water in Georgetown. Investigators announce their belief that the sunglasses could be connected to Brittanee. A search for Brittanee is launched in the area, but nothing else is found.

October 2010: Brittanee's case is featured on the ID show Disappeared.

August 1st, 2011: A hotel room where Raymond Moody lived at the time of Brittanee's disappearance is searched. Moody no longer lived there when the search took place, and by this point, over 2 years had passed since Brittanee vanished - making it difficult for investigators to find any concrete evidence.

February 2012: Investigators publicly announce that Raymond Moody, a convicted child rapist/registered sex offender, was eyed as a person of interest in Brittanee's disappearance.

February 2012

September 2012: Brittanee's mother, Dawn, sends a letter to various media outlets in Myrtle Beach. In the letter, she notes that the friends Brittanee traveled to Myrtle Beach with never looked for Brittanee, nor did they report her missing. Dawn questioned whether or not those friends told police everything they know about Brittanee's disappearance. 

October 7th, 2012: Brittanee's 21st birthday. A candlelight vigil is held for her in Myrtle Beach.

April 2013: Another vigil is held, this time in New York, on the 4th anniversary of Brittanee's disappearance. 

May 2014: Investigators state that new technology made additional cell phone data available, which prompted another search for Brittanee in a new area of South Carolina. Unfortunately, nothing new is found. 

June 2016: A press conference is held regarding new information in Brittanee's disappearance. During the conference, the FBI announces that they believe Brittanee was kidnapped, taken to McClellanville and held in a "stash house" for a few days, before ultimately being killed. When asked how the FBI knows this information, the spokesperson replied, "there has been an exhaustive amount of evidence in this case. The investigators are certain that this is what happened, and I can’t give you the exact details on that, but we are certain."

August 2016: It is revealed that investigators learned about Brittanee allegedly being held in the "stash house" by a jailhouse informant named Tequan Brown. Brown reportedly lists Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor, and his father, Shaun Taylor, as Brittanee's kidnappers. Brown told investigators that he saw Brittanee at the McClellanville stash house where she was raped, trafficked, and eventually killed. The informant also said that the Taylors disposed of Brittanee's body in an alligator pit. 

 

August 2016 (cont): Timothy Taylor is arrested on charges unrelated to Brittanee's case. While behind bars, he is interrogated about Brittanee but denies involvement in her disappearance. Investigators, however, remain adamant that Taylor is a suspect; they insist that he failed a polygraph related to Britanee's case.

Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor.

September 2016: Brittanee's father, Chad Drexel, announces that he believes the allegations about the Taylor family being responsible for Brittanee's disappearance are true. He also starts a petition asking for a grand jury to weigh in on the informant's statements. Chad requested that Timothy and Shaun Taylor be charged if the grand jury finds the informant to be truthful.

November 2016: Brittanee's mother, Dawn, starts a nonprofit organization called Brittanee's Little Angels. The organization's purpose is to help and advocate for families of missing and/or trafficked loved ones.

Source: Democrat and Chronicle

March 2017: Investigators search a private property outside of Georgetown in relation to Brittanee's case. It's noted that unspecified evidence and/or a tip sent authorities to the property - there is no further elaboration. After the search, investigators state they made "some progress" - but once again, no further information is provided.

November 2017: Timothy Taylor is arrested again after authorities' state that he violated terms of his bail by crossing state lines while out on bond for the robbery charges. Taylor continuously denies involvement in Brittanee's case.

November 2017 - April 2022: Brittanee remains missing; her case remains unsolved. The public is left with the belief that Timothy Taylor is responsible for her disappearance, though no charges are filed.

April 27th, 2022: Raymond Moody's girlfriend, Angel Vause, agrees to being interviewed by the FBI. As noted above, Moody was investigated in Brittanee's disappearance back in 2011, but he was never charged, and the investigation was eventually led in a different direction.

April 29th, 2022: A judge signs a warrant to search the home and the electronic devices of Moody and Vause.

May 4th, 2022: Moody agrees to speak with investigators. During their conversation, he admits to killing Brittanee and disposing of her remains. Moody then tells investigators where Brittanee is buried - on property near Pickerel Road. That same day, Moody is arrested and charged with obstruction of justice related to Brittanee's case.

May 11th-15th, 2022: A search is conducted in the area where Moody says he buried Brittanee. A single human bone is found first, and then over the next few days, other human remains are found. DNA analysis and dental records eventually confirm that those remains are, in fact, that of Brittanee Drexel.

May 16th, 2022: Raymond Moody is charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering Brittanee. 

Moody's 2022 mugshot.

October 19th, 2022: Moody pleads guilty to all charges related to Brittanee's case. During the court proceedings, the prosecutors outlined what made them circle back to Moody after all these years. 

It was revealed that, in 2022, investigators reached out to Angel Vause after an informant told them that Vause has information about Brittanee's case. Vause agreed to wear a wire while talking to Moody about Brittanee. Around the same time, a search warrant was executed at Moody's home. 

According to reports, investigators did not actually find any evidence during their search. However, perhaps feeling pressure from investigators, Moody eventually agreed to talk to detectives. During their conversation in May 2022, Moody said that, on April 25th, 2009, he and Vause were driving around Myrtle Beach when they saw Brittanee walking by herself. The couple approached Brittanee and asked her if she wanted to smoke marijuana. Moody claimed that Brittanee voluntarily got into their car, and the three of them traveled to Moody's campsite in Georgetown County.

Moody continued to explain that, at some point, Angel Vause left to go take care of a family member. Then, by Moody's account, he made a sexual advance on Brittanee, which she rejected. Moody then raped her, then strangled her to cover up the crime. When Vause later returned, Moody said that Brittanee had been picked up by friends. 

Instead, Moody said he covered her body with a blanket and hid her in the bushes. Later in the night, Moody moved Brittanee's remains to a different location and buried her. After that, Brittanee remained missing for 13 years until Moody finally led investigators to her body.

October 20th, 2022: Moody is sentenced to life in prison. Many of Brittanee's family members make victim impact statements at the sentencing. They expressed that they do not believe Brittanee voluntarily got into Moody's vehicle on the night she disappeared.

March 26th, 2024: The family of Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor files to sue the US Department of Justice and demands an apology after Timothy was falsely accused of being involved in Brittanee's disappearance.

May 27th, 2024: Angel Vause is arrested on federal charges - three counts of lying to the FBI about Brittanee's kidnapping, rape, and murder. 

Angel Vause.

As it turns out, Vause had been interviewed back in 2011 - when Moody was first eyed as a person of interest. During their interview, Vause denied that her and Moody had seen Brittanee on the night of her disappearance. Evidence from the case further revealed that investigators believe Vause also lied during 2022 interviews as well.

August 27th, 2024: Angel Vause rejects a plea deal that "could have sent her to prison for 16 years on two charges of lying to the FBI during their investigation into Drexel’s disappearance and death."

September 9th, 2024: Vause ultimately pleads guilty to all three counts. 

November 13th, 2024: Investigators visit Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville to interview Raymond Moody again. This time, Moody "agreed to provide the 'complete and truthful information about the abduction, rape, and murder of Brittanee' in exchange for the Drexel family's allowance of a portion of Moody's property to remain in a trust for Vause's grandchildren."

January 2025: Details about investigator's interview with Moody are revealed. It's reported that, during the interview, Moody told investigators that he and Vause were "hunting" for a girl on the night they kidnapped Brittanee. When they spotted Brittanee walking in the Myrtle Beach area that night, Vause lured her to their car by pretending that she and Moody were also tourists and could give her a ride back to her hotel.

At some point during the drive, Moody pretended to be lost. He then let Vause drive while he restrained Brittanee in the backseat. Moody said he told Brittanee not to panic, as he "kidnaps girls and demands a $5,000 ransom from the City Chamber of Commerce."

Moody then went on to explain that both he and Vause led Brittanee to a tent that they had set up at Pole Yard Boat Landing in Georgetown. Vause briefly went to go retrieve the keys to their apartment, telling Moody "not to rape [Brittanee] until she returned, as their plan from the beginning had been to rape her together."

After Vause returned with the keys, Moody said that he left Brittanee alone with Vause while he went to their apartment to retrieve sex toys. This means that Vause had the opportunity to release Brittanee while Moody was gone, and she did not do so. However, Moody maintains that he does not recall Vause taking part in sexually assaulting Brittanee, though he claims she was present. 

Moody also stated that Vause was present, but did not participate, while Moody strangled Brittanee to death and then stabbed her body with an ice pick. He claims he later disposed of Brittanee's remains alone.

February 13th, 2025: Angel Vause is sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Present day: Both Raymond Moody and Angel Vause remain behind bars. In April 2025, a judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Taylor's family. The family has never received a public apology for the FBI and public's scrutiny of them.

Brittanee's family continues to honor her memory through Brittanee's Little Angels and by celebrating her life.

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Sources:
ABC News 4
Live 5 News (2) (3)

Rochester First (2)
WBTW (2)

WPDE