The Murder of Brittany Zimmermann

Brittany Zimmermann

Brittany Zimmerman was only 21 years-old when she was brutally murdered inside the home she shared with her fiancé on April 2nd, 2008. The University of Wisconsin-Madison student was murdered in the middle of the day, just blocks away from the Madison Police Department. When Brittany’s fiancé returned home to their apartment that afternoon, he found Brittany slain on the floor. She had been brutally stabbed and strangled to death. 

The Madison, Wisconsin home where Brittany was murdered.

It was later revealed that Brittany actually called 911 minutes before she was murdered. The dispatchers hung up on her, claiming they did not hear any sounds of a struggle in the phone call. Once Brittany’s body was found, it became clear that she was, in fact, in danger when she called the police. Brittany’s fiancé was questioned and ruled out as a suspect, and after that, it appeared that police had very few leads about the identity of her killer. 

Finally, in 2016, investigators told Brittany’s parents that they found DNA evidence belonging to David Kahl - a man who was already behind bars for his 7th DWI charge. Police apparently confronted Kahl with this information, and he said that he was with Brittany on the day she was killed, but he denied being the killer. 

The police department advised Brittany’s family members to not publicly talk about this information, however Brittany’s mother stated that she could no longer sit back knowing that her daughter’s killer has not been apprehended. 

Later that year, police became familiar with a man named Andrew Scoles, who had previously been in prison with Kahl. Scoles stated that Kahl broke down to him and confessed to being Brittany’s killer. Scoles offered to tell the police this information in exchange for his two previous felony convictions being expunged from his record.

 

Brittany’s mother contacted Scoles via e-mail and begged him to come forward, but unfortunately nothing ever came of that. In August 2017, Scoles was killed in a motorcycle accident. Any potential information he had about Brittany’s murder died with him.

It took years, but finally, in March 2020, David Kahl was arrested and charged with Brittany's murder. The arrest came nearly four years after investigators reportedly matched Kahl's DNA to DNA evidence that was found at the crime scene. 

David Kahl mugshot

At that time, it was also revealed that Kahl was one of the people police interviewed just days after Brittany was found dead. During that 2008 interview, Kahl reportedly told investigators that he was in Brittany's neighborhood on the day of her death, going door-to-door asking residents for money so he could buy drugs. 

Despite this admission, police did not consider Kahl to be a suspect at the time. He did not resurface in the investigation until 2016, when police were finally able to identify the DNA found at the crime scene. Kahl was charged in Dane County Circuit Court with first-degree intentional homicide.

In October of 2022, he pleaded guilty to the charges. He admitted that he saw Brittany as she returned home from classes on the day of her murder. David said that he was on drugs when he forced himself into her apartment and committed the murder. 

Kahl is expected to spend his life behind bars.

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Sources:
Fox 47
Isthmus
Law and Crime
Wisconsin State Journal

The Disappearance and Murder of Brittanee Drexel

Brittanee Drexel vanished at the age of 17 on April 25th, 2009. Brittanee is originally from Rochester, New York. She was taking a trip with some new friends to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for spring break in April of 2009. 

Brittanee’s mother had not granted her permission to go on this trip—she was concerned because these friends were a few years older than Brittanee and Brittanee did not know them very well yet. Still, Brittanee was determined to go and told her mother that she was spending a few nights at a friend's house in Rochester. Instead, she went to Myrtle Beach.

The trip did not go as planned for Brittanee. According to her boyfriend, John Grieco, Brittanee wasn’t getting along very well with the girls on the trip. On April 25th, Brittanee decided to walk to her friend Peter Brozowitz’s hotel room at Blue Water Resort. Peter was an acquaintance of Brittanee’s from NY, and she was getting along much better with him than she was with the girls with whom she was staying. 

Brittanee entering the Blue Water Resort

Brittanee walked about a mile from her hotel to the Blue Water Resort—however, shortly after arriving, one of the girls texted Brittanee and demanded that she come back to their hotel to return a pair of shorts she had borrowed. Surveillance footage shows Brittanee leaving the Blue Water Resort at 8:48 PM.

She texted John as she traveled, expressing how she was annoyed about having to walk back to the hotel. At one point, Brittanee stopped replying. John grew concerned, as they had been constantly texting throughout the trip and it was unusual for Brittanee to stop replying without ending the conversation.

John continued to try to get ahold of her, warning that he was going to call her mom if she did not reply. Hours passed without hearing from Brittanee, and John finally broke down and called Brittanee’s mother, Dawn. Dawn was able to contact the girls Brittanee had traveled with and they were unable to locate her as well. Dawn then contacted Myrtle Beach authorities to report Brittanee missing.

The search for Brittanee.

Investigators had some strong leads to follow at first. Cell phone records revealed that Brittanee’s final phone ping was off of a tower 50 miles from Myrtle Beach, in Georgetown County. A massive search in that area turned up nothing. 

Sex offenders in the Myrtle Beach and Georgetown areas were looked into as well, including registered sex offender Raymond Moody. At that time, though, investigators were unable to find evidence that Moody or any of the other offenders in the area were responsible for Brittanee's disappearance. After that, years passed with no sign of Brittanee.

The investigation takes a turn.

Finally, on June 8th, 2016, the FBI held a press conference, stating that they had finally determined what happened to Brittanee. They announced that Brittanee was taken from Myrtle Beach to the McClellanville area, where she was held for a few days against her will and then was killed. 

When asked how the FBI came to this conclusion, the lead investigator said: “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.” The FBI then appealed to anyone in the McClellanville area to come forward with information on Brittanee’s whereabouts.

Years passed since the FBI made this announcement, but Brittanee still remained. McClellanville local Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor was named as a suspect in the case, but he denied all involvement. 

A May 2022 update.

 In May 2022, Brittanee’s remains were found AND an arrest was finally made in her case.

The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office announced on May 16th, 2022, that they arrested a man named Raymond Moody (62). He was charged with kidnapping, rape, and murder in relation to Brittanee’s case.

Back in 2012, investigators searched a hotel room he stayed in at the time of Brittanee’s disappearance. It was never disclosed if they found any evidence at that time, but investigators did say that they did not have enough evidence to formally label him as a suspect.

Investigators turned their attention away from Moody in 2016, after the FBI announced that they believed Brittanee had been kidnapped and held hostage in McClellanville by a group of people associated with Timothy Taylor. However, Taylor was only 16 years-old at the time Brittanee went missing. 

Jailhouse informants told investigators that they saw Brittanee at Taylor’s residence back in April 2009. Taylor adamantly denied any involvement in Brittanee’s disappearance. By the time of Moody's arrest, Taylor was no longer a suspect.

Moody’s arrest warrant states that Moody strangled Brittanee to death on the night she was kidnapped. It is believed she was buried the next day.

Moody pleads guilty. 

In October 2022, Moody pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping, and murdering Brittanee Drexel. 

During the court proceeding, the prosecutor provided more information about what happened on the night Brittanee vanished. It was revealed that Moody's girlfriend Angel Vause was contacted by the FBI in April of 2022 after an informant said she had 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, on May 5th, 2022, Moody agreed to talk to detectives. During their conversation, Moody finally spoke about what happened on April 25th, 2009.

Moody told detectives that, on that evening, he was driving in Myrtle Beach with Vause when he saw Brittanee walking down the street. He approached her and asked if she wanted to smoke marijuana. By Moody's account, Brittanee got into the vehicle voluntarily. The three of them then went to Moody's campsite in Georgetown County.

Vause then told police that at some point, she left to 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 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.

Moody was sentenced to life in prison. Many of Brittanee's family members made 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. They believe Moody intended to rape and murder Brittanee. His sentencing marks the end of a dark chapter in their life.

2024 update: Angel Vause arrested.

In March 2024, it was announced that Angel Vause was arrested on federal charges related to Brittanee's kidnapping and murder. A grand jury handed down indictments of three counts of lying to the FBI. At this point, it appears that Vause's narrative about what happened on the evening of Brittanee's disappearance was false.

On September 9th, 2024, Vause pleaded guilty to the charges. 

2025; Raymond Moody speaks out - tells a new story implicating Angel Vause in the crime.

In January 2025, ABC News 4 reported that Moody had been interviewed once again regarding Brittanee's kidnapping and murder, and this time, he had told a different story. The report states, "In an interview recorded at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville on Nov. 13, 2024, 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."

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.

Due to Moody's history of lying, it's hard to completely determine if this new narrative is true. However, it does verify Brittanee's family's beliefs - that she did not voluntarily get into Moody's car to "party" with Moody and Vause.

Angel Vause is set to be sentenced in February 2025.

The Disappearance and Death of Sarah Hill

image source

Sarah Hill has been missing since June 6th, 2018. The then-33-year-old was last known to be in the area of Mount Airy, Virginia. On the evening she vanished, Sarah called her sister and said she was on Blue Hollow Road and needed a ride. Her sister was working at a hospital in Elkin at the time and was unable to assist. Sarah's phone died shortly after that phone call, and she has never been seen or heard from again.

After Sarah was reported missing, her vehicle was found abandoned in a parking lot near the Blue Hollow Road intersection. The car reportedly did not provide any clues to her whereabouts. There are also very few details available about the events leading up to Sarah's disappearance. It's known that her address was listed in Patrick County, Virginia, but she often stayed with friends in both North Carolina and West Virginia.

According to reports, Sarah's friends in West Virginia were contacted, but they did not know of whereabouts or that she had even gone missing. It seems likely that her friends in North Carolina were investigated as well, especially since her car was found on the N.C. 89 - close to the North Carolina-Virginia border. However, no persons of interest have ever been publicly named.

In January 2019, investigators received information that led them to a day-long search at King Park Circle, located just off of Blue Hollow Road. The search involved investigators from several different agencies. Search canines are excavators were used, but no information was released about what - if anything - was found. Investigators returned to the location in July 2020 for a follow up, but no further information was released after that search either.

Since then, it appears that there have not been any updates in Sarah's case. She remains missing today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact authorities in Virginia at 276-694-3161 or authorities in North Carolina at 757-294-5271.

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UPDATE (October 2022): Sarah's remains have been found. 

Reports state that Surry County investigators found her remains after obtaining a warrant for a property in Westfield, North Carolina. While searching the home, the detectives found human remains under the house's floorboard. Days later, those remains were identified as Sarah Hill.

At this time, police are not revealing more information about the investigation into Sarah's death. The case is ongoing. 

Charley Project
Mt. Airy News
WFMY News 2
Websleuths

The Disappearance and Murder of Tracy Onawa Jones

 

Tracy Onawa Jones was only 19 years-old when she was found murdered in November 2006. The young woman was working for a traveling magazine sales company at the time of her death. Tracy's employer, Robert Blair, was her boyfriend as well. On November 15th, 2006, Robert dropped Tracy off at a truck stop in Little Rock, Arkansas, so she could sell magazine subscriptions to truckers. She was seen talking to several different people at the truck stop throughout the day, but at one point, she seemingly vanished.

Later that evening, Robert called Tracy to arrange a pickup time, but she did not answer the phone. The following day, Robert searched for Tracy and contacted her loved ones to see if they had heard from her - but his efforts were fruitless. On November 17th, 2006, Robert contacted Little Rock police to report Tracy missing. 

Days later, on November 26th, Tracy's body was found lying in a ditch in a semi-wooded area off of Highway 61 in Memphis, Tennessee. Her body was partially nude and had been bound with duct tape. An autopsy confirmed Tracy had been sexually assaulted, stabbed, and beaten. She ultimately died from blunt force trauma to the head. 

Investigators later revealed that they do not believe Tracy was killed in the location she was found. However, the coroner was unable to determine a time of death. In fact, certain reports state that Tracy was likely killed closer to November 26th than November 15th. This means Tracy was possibly held against her will for days before she was murdered. 

The FBI believes that Tracy's killer is associated with the trucking industry. Not only was she last seen alive at a truck stop, but she was also found along a highway commonly traveled by truckers. It is also not believed that the killer is still in Arkansas. Still, as of today, no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly named. Investigators have collected and stored DNA from Tracy's body, but it appears a match has yet to be made. 

There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to Tracy's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Little Rock FBI Field Office at 1-501-221-9100.
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Sources:
FBI.gov
Lost Voices 
The Trucker
Uncovered

The Murder of Danick Adams

 

Danick Adams had a lot to look forward to during the summer of 2008. At just 18-years-old, the young girl had two jobs and was also raising a two-year-old daughter. Danick was also working to obtain her G.E.D. According to her loved ones, she hoped to eventually become a teacher or a psychologist. Danick was ready to build her future not only for herself, but for her daughter as well. Unfortunately, all of that was robbed from Danick on August 15th, 2008, when she was tragically shot to death. 

Danick was killed while leaving an Ultimate Fitness in her hometown of Jacksonville, Arkansas. She was quite familiar with the fitness center, as it was owned by her grandfather, and she also worked part-time in the center's daycare. It was shortly after midnight on August 15th when Danick went to the Ultimate Fitness with her friend Princess. As the girls walked out of the building a short time later, they were approached by a masked gunman. The man reportedly demanded that they give him their cell phones and money. 

According to Princess, Danick refused to follow his orders. The gunman then took off his mask, revealing his face, before shooting Danick multiple times. Princess ran to a nearby home to call authorities, while the gunman stole Danick's car keys and fled in her vehicle. 

Authorities immediately began their search for Danick's killer. Just hours after the shooting occurred, a man driving Danick's car returned to the crime scene and drove past. Police began to pursue the vehicle, but when the driver pulled over, he exited the car and was able to escape on foot. A female passenger reportedly remained in the car. She told police that she did not know the man, and he had picked her up just moments earlier. 

Danick's killer has never been found. Many years have passed, and her loved ones are still left with more questions than answers. There are several moving pieces in this case, all of which could play a role in finding Danick's killer.

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Before the shooting. 

As police began to investigate Danick's murder, they pieced together a timeline of events leading up to the moment she got shot. It was soon learned that August 14th, 2008, began as a seemingly normal day. Danick dropped her daughter off with her ex-boyfriend/the child's father. Then, she met up with a friend for lunch at Taco Bell.

Danick later spoke with her mother on the phone around 10:30 PM. During their phone call, Danick told her mother she was now with a different friend - Princess. The two girls planned to go to the Ultimate Fitness - which was open 24/7 - so they could use the tanning beds and put on make-up. 

It's known that Danick and Princess made it to the fitness center as planned. Unfortunately, Danick would not leave the fitness center alive. 

Princess' version of events.

There are inevitable questions about Princess' recollection of events. Both investigators and Danick's mother have stated that they found it odd that the gunman revealed his face to Danick and Princess before firing his gun. In 2020, a detective was quoted telling Dateline, "It’s just strange, because I think if you had just shown your face to someone you’re about to kill, I wouldn’t think you’d want to leave a witness."

Many have also found it odd that Princess said that the gunman was wearing a ski mask. It was incredibly hot and humid during this time of year in Arkansas, and detectives think it is unlikely that a shooter would conceal their face with such an item. 

Investigators have never stated that they have any evidence to disprove Princess' version of events. However, it appears that Princess implied that Danick was killed because she refused to give her cell phone and money to the gunman. Investigators do not believe the motive of Danick's death was robbery. In fact, they believe that Danick was targeted and that it's possible more than one person is involved in her death. 

Danick's car and phone.

As previously stated, the gunman fled the scene of the crime in Danick's vehicle. Hours later, though, the same vehicle was driven past the scene of the crime yet again. Police were never able to capture the driver of the car, nor have they ever confirmed that they believe the driver is the killer. While it is entirely possible, investigators have also acknowledged that the killer could've traded the car or abandoned it after fleeing the scene. 

Police questioned the female passenger who was also in the vehicle, but she maintained that she had only just met the driver who fled. According to detectives, the female passenger has been cooperative with the investigation. While her potential involvement has not yet been ruled out, it does not appear that she is a current person of interest. 

Investigators also later found Danick's phone in the possession of a man. He said that another man had sold him the phone for five dollars. It appears that the killer dumped the phone on someone else very shortly after the murder. 

Potential motives.

With the available information, a motive for Danick's motive remains unclear. Though investigators believe she was targeted, they have not revealed why. Danick's ex-boyfriend has a solid alibi, as he was with their daughter at the time of the shooting. Princess told police that Danick was shot during a robbery, but investigators are unsure. 

According to Danick's mother, Princess and Danick had only recently begun hanging out before Danick was killed. The two reportedly met years earlier and had recently reconnected. Though Princess' version of events has brought on a few questions, she has never been charged with anything related to Danick's murder, nor has she ever been publicly labeled as a suspect. 

Still searching for answers.

As of today, Danick's murder remains unsolved. There is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to an arrest. If you have any important information, please contact authorities at 501-533-6477.
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Sources:
AY Mag
NBC News
THV 11
Uncovered

The Disappearance & Murder of Megan Nichols

Megan Nichols (15) disappeared from her home in Fairfield, Illinois on July 3rd, 2014. That day, Megan and her mother Kathy Jo planned to run errands together, but Megan stayed back after claiming that she wasn’t feeling well. Kathy Jo said that when she returned from the errands later, Megan was gone. She left her phone in her bedroom—which had been completely reset—and a note for her mother that said, in part, “I love you, but I will never be happy here. Don’t look for me.”

Police initially classified Megan as a runaway but changed her status to endangered missing after extended time went by without any trace of Megan. Over three years, there were many searches for Megan in Fairfield and many other surrounding areas that turned up nothing.

Finally, on December 26th, 2017, remains were found in a wooded area in Wayne County, Illinois. A month later, those remains were confirmed to be Megan’s. Despite the original belief that Megan had runaway, it became clear at that point that she likely never left the Wayne County area. 

Details surrounding Megan’s death remained quite mysterious. Initially, authorities did not release any details on how Megan died or if foul play was involved. There was speculation about the 18-year-old she was dating at the time of her disappearance was involved, but it took years before that would finally be confirmed.

Then, during October 2020, an arrest was made in Megan's case. On October 6th, 2020, Brodey Murbarger, aged 24 at this point, was taken into custody and indicted on six counts: three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of home invasion, and one count of concealment of homicidal death. Shortly after his arrest, it was announced that prosecutors believed that Murbarger had suffocated and strangled Megan to death. 

Murbarger's arrest was the first step towards justice for Megan and her loved ones. Throughout the court proceedings, the prosecution presented exactly what they believed happened to Megan - and how the investigation zeroed in on Murbarger as their suspect. 

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Megan's relationship with Brodey Murbarger.

Megan and Brodey Murbarger met in Fairfield when they were both young children. The two reconnected when Megan was in eighth grade, and they grew even closer when Megan reached high school and joined the glee club. Murbarger, who was also in the glee club, began to a pursue a relationship with Megan.  

However, Murbarger was also dating another girl in the glee club. He reportedly would brag to other students about how he was dating both girls. In the spring of 2014, it appeared that Murbarger was spending more time with Megan than the other girl. As such, Megan was hurt when Murbarger brought the other girl to prom - but she still continued a relationship with him.

Megan's mother Kathy Jo was also upset when she heard about Murbarger bringing the other girl to prom. In fact, Kathy Jo subsequently told Megan that she no longer wanted her to see Murbarger. She forbade Murbarger from coming to their house.

Still, Murbarger showed up anyway. When Kathy Jo told him that she did not want him dating Megan, he reportedly replied, "Look, you are way too controlling. You’re concerning me, and I think you need to be on medication." Murbarger later texted Kathy Jo and said that he had spoken to a guidance counselor about her. His text read, in part, "They know what you’re doing to your child. And I don’t want to get DCFS involved but I will if I have to."

Kathy Jo's disdain for Murbarger put a wedge between her and Megan - especially since it appeared that Murbarger had a very strong influence over Megan. 

The initial investigation into Megan's disappearance.

As previously noted, Megan was reported missing on July 3rd, 2014. It did not take authorities long to learn about her relationship with Brodey Murbarger. There were some immediate red flags about Murbarger in the onset of the investigation. 

In fact, on the morning of July 4th - just hours after Megan's disappearance - Murbarger was spotted washing his car. Not only did it seem odd for a 19-year-old to be thoroughly washing his car at 8:00 AM, but it also seemed even more strange that he was doing that while Megan's family members were frantically searching for her. 

Murbarger told investigators that he was washing his car because he could not sleep. He also admitted to seeing Megan before her disappearance, but he denied any knowledge of her whereabouts. 

Still, investigators looked at Murbarger's car for potential evidence. They field tested a stain in the car, thinking it might be blood, but the results came back negative. 

After that, Megan's case seemingly went cold. Years passed without any updates in the case as Megan remained missing.

Finding Megan's remains.

On December 26th, 2017, a couple found human remains in a rural area of Wayne County. A month later, the remains were identified as that of Megan Nichols. Many people in the area had been involved in the search for Megan over the years, and the discovery of her remains brought some closure, but also many questions about what happened to the young girl.

The discovery of Megan's remains also led to continued speculation about Murbarger's potential involvement in the case - especially after it was revealed that Megan's death was being investigated as a homicide. At this point, Murbarger had moved to Evansville, Indiana. He continued to deny involvement in Megan's disappearance and death.

Evidence from Murbarger's car resurfaces.

Murbarger's 2009 Dodge Avenger. (source: 14 News)

At some point during the investigation into Megan's disappearance and death, the Illinois State Police turned to the FBI for help. The FBI had more advanced resources that the state police, which ultimately led to the decision to revisit that stain found in Murbarger's 2009 Dodge Avenger early into the investigation.

While trying to track down the car, the FBI agents learned that Murbarger had crashed it into a tree during 2016. Afterwards, the car was given to a salvage yard, and then was later sold to a couple in Missouri. FBI Agent Ray Hart was able to track down said couple, who consented to having the car seized for more extensive testing. 

The testing confirmed the state police's initial suspicions: that the stain was, in fact blood. And not just anybody's blood; the testing revealed the blood belonged to Megan. 

By this point, Murbarger was refusing to speak to investigators without a lawyer. As such, the FBI turned to a friend of Murbarger's to try and garner a confession from him.

Murbarger's friend works with the FBI.

Kyle Ellis on Dateline.

Kyle Ellis had been friends with Brodey Murbarger since childhood. Ellis also knew Megan and was well aware of the drama between Murbarger and Megan prior to Megan's disappearance. Still, Ellis never believed that his friend of several years would be capable of murder. Ellis did acknowledge, however, that Murbarger had a temper that would flare up at times that would show a completely different side to him.

After graduating high school, Ellis and Murbarger both attended the University of Southern Indiana. They eventually moved into an apartment together in Evansville. At certain times, Ellis would see Murbarger's hostile side, fueled by his temper - but he still did not believe that Murbarger was a killer.

That opinion changed in 2018, when Ellis was contacted by the FBI. He was then told that the FBI had evidence that Murbarger was, in fact, involved in Megan's disappearance and murder. The FBI explained that Megan's blood had been found in Murbarger's car - and they wanted Ellis to confront Murbarger with said information.

More specifically, the FBI asked Ellis to have a conversation with Murbarger while wearing a wire. During the conversation, Ellis asked Murbarger why Megan's blood was found in his car. Murbarger claimed he did not know why. He also denied killing Megan. He claimed he would not be capable of strangling or suffocating Megan.

Despite Murbarger's continuous denial of killing Megan, Ellis noted that there was one part of their conversation that made him sure of Murbarger's guilt. At one point, Murbarger said to Ellis, "I probably couldn’t even have lifted my own body weight, much less strangled — if someone with anger issues found out about something and strangled her." 

Ellis stated that the last part of that sentence - about someone with anger issues finding out about something and strangling her - was a "pin drop moment". While not a direct admission of guilt, Ellis now felt it was very possible that Murbarger had found out about something about Megan that angered him, causing his temper to flare up - and he subsequently killed her. 

Throughout his involvement in the investigation, Ellis also recalled an odd conversation he had with Murbarger that occurred years earlier. In April 2014, just months before Megan vanished, Murbarger tried to sell many of his items to Ellis so he could have cash to support himself. Dateline reported that Murbarger tried to give Ellis "his guitars, video game consoles and motorcycle — in exchange for $3,000. Murbarger was sick of his family, he told Ellis, and he wanted to run away."

At the time, Ellis felt that Murbarger was simply being dramatic was not actually serious about running away. However, Murbarger did continue to bring up the idea of running away over the next few months. He occasionally would mention Megan in his plans as well. 

When Megan vanished and left a note behind saying that she was running away, this did not seem like a coincidence - especially after it was revealed that Megan withdrew cash from an ATM on the day of her disappearance. Additionally, Murbarger admitted to seeing Megan on the day she vanished.

While Ellis was aware of this information years earlier, the 2018 conversation with Murbarger was what truly helped connect the dots. It soon became the working theory that Murbarger lured Megan into believing the two of them were going to run away together. She met up with him on the day of her disappearance, and at some point, his temper arose, and he strangled her. 

Arrest and trial.

The FBI continued to build their murder case over the next two years. Finally, in 2020, Brodey Murbarger was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder and home invasion and one count of concealing a homicidal death. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

source: NBC News

Murbarger's trial began during the fall of 2023. The prosecution presented their above-mentioned theory: Megan left her house on July 3rd, 2014, because she thought she and Murbarger were going to run away together. At some point, Murbarger snapped and suffocated and strangled Megan to death. He then hid her body in a rural area. 

Evidence was presented that Murbarger and Megan had been talking about running away together for about 5 months prior to her disappearance. The prosecution also presented testimony about Megan's blood being found in Murbarger's vehicle. These two factors, in addition to the other evidence presented, helped paint a picture of the aforementioned theory. 

Murbarger took the stand and said he had noticed the bloodstain after a consensual sexual encounter between him and Megan occurred in his car; and this was why Megan's blood was in his vehicle. The prosecution maintained their belief that Megan's blood was there due to Murbarger attacking Megan and subsequently killing her. 

Conviction and sentencing.

In October 2022, Brodey Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols. His defense team almost immediately made a request for a new trial. In January 2023, a judge denied the request.

That same month, Brodey Murbarger was sentenced to 50 years in prison. At his sentencing, he still denied involvement in Megan's murder. However, he took responsibility for the events leading up to her disappearance.

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Sources:
14 News, (2)
44 News
International Business Times
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The Disappearance of Brandee Hope Canipe

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Brandee Hope Canipe vanished at the age of 29 during May 2006. The young woman resided in Mocksville, North Carolina at the time of her disappearance. Those closest to Brandee describe her as a free spirit who had a habit of taking off and staying out-of-touch for long periods of time. Due to this, Brandee was not reported missing until April 2010 – nearly four years after she disappeared. 

Brandee grew up in Shelby, North Carolina, and she was the oldest of four sisters. According to the sisters, Brandee was a fun and loving sibling. She had a particularly strong relationship with her sister Staley, who was the closest to her in age. However, as the sisters grew into their teenage years, Brandee began to move in a separate direction. She moved out of her family’s home at a young age and only kept in touch with her family sporadically. 

It was not uncommon for Brandee’s family members to go months without hearing from her. Whenever she would reach out, she would let her family know where she was located. Brandee reportedly would stay in various places throughout North Carolina – such as Winston-Salem and Mocksville. She also lived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at some point. 

Throughout the years, Brandee gave birth to three children: two daughters and one son. Brandee's daughters lived with her parents, while her son lived with his father. She also got married twice and was known to some as Brandee McCluney or Brandee Rackley. 

Brandee's sister Staley first began to worry about Brandee's wellbeing when she did not show up for a funeral. The mother of Brandee's ex-husband had passed away. Brandee was reportedly quite close with her, even after the divorce. Although it had been years since Staley had heard from Brandee at this point, she still expected to see her at her ex-mother-in-law's funeral. After Brandee was a no-show, Staley began to think something was off.

Eventually, Staley decided to contact police about Brandee's disappearance. Brandee was officially reported missing on April 19th, 2010. Throughout the investigation, detectives were able to determine that she was last seen on May 6th, 2006. The last known sighting of her occurred in Mocksville - where she was living at the time she vanished. The four-year gap between Brandee's disappearance and when she was finally reported missing further deepened the mystery.

 

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A delayed investigation.

Since years passed before Brandee was actually reported missing, detectives were quite behind on their investigation. It was noted that there had not been any activity in her bank account or her Social Security number since 2006. Brandee's driver's license expired in 2008 but was never renewed. All of these findings made it clear that Brandee had been missing for quite some time. 

Obtaining information from those closest to Brandee was proven to be difficult, as many of them did not have clear memories of their last known interaction with her. Still, Brandee's family members did their best to relay the most accurate information they had and/or could remember.

Information from the family.

Brandee's parents both passed away in 2010 - shortly after she was reported missing. Unfortunately, they were not able to provide much information. However, Brandee's other family members have been in touch with detectives over the years.

All of Brandee's family members corroborated that she lived a somewhat transient lifestyle, and that it was not unusual for months to pass without hearing from her. Several of Brandee's family members also told detectives that they saw Brandee driving a 4-door Buick sedan when she would come to visit. It's possible that Brandee was driving this car at the time of her disappearance but said vehicle has never been located.

Brandee's sister Staley said that she last saw Brandee during 2005, at a bar in Shelby. According to Staley, Brandee was working at the bar. She had gotten a job there after returning to Shelby to be closer to her two daughters. However, it appears that Brandee moved to Mocksville a few months later. 

Leigh, the youngest of Brandee's three younger sisters, said that she last saw Brandee during the spring of 2006. Leigh was only 10 years-old at the time, but she remembers that Brandee had come to visit during that time period. Leigh explained that Brandee had driven her to her school bus stop. The two chatted as they waited in Brandee's car for Leigh's bus to arrive. When the bus finally did arrive, Leigh exited the car, unaware that she would never see her sister again. 

All three of Brandee's children were under the age of 10 during 2006. It's likely that the memories of their mother were a bit fuzzy by the time she was finally reported missing in 2010. Brandee's second oldest daughter, Autumn, spoke to reporters in 2022 and said that she does not remember the exact last time she saw her mother, but the memories she does have of her are quite fond. 

The lake house.

According to a report by Dateline, Brandee's youngest sister Leigh has been more active in the investigation during more recent years. Throughout Leigh's quest for answers, she remembered a detail about Brandee's life prior to her disappearance that might be significant. It involved a lake house.

Leigh explained that, during the fall of 2005, her family faced some financial hardships. During such times, Brandee invited their mother, Leigh, and their other sister, Paige, to come live with her in Mocksville - an approximate hour and a half's drive away from Shelby. The residence belonged to Brandee's boyfriend. 

The three of them lived with Brandee and her boyfriend for a few months. Leigh and Paige were both enrolled in school in Mocksville. After a few months, though, their mother returned to Shelby. Leigh and Paige stayed and continued to live with Brandee.

A short time later, Brandee announced that she and her boyfriend had broken up, so they had to move out of Mocksville. By Leigh's account, Brandee moved them an approximate 45-minute drive away to a lake house located on Belews Creek on the north side of Winston-Salem. Leigh said she is unsure about how, exactly, Brandee became connected to this place - but she did meet a man who reportedly managed the property.

Belews Creek. Source: Forsynth Realty

The man lived in a separate nearby house on the lake. Leigh explained that he had given Brandee and the girls permission to live in their respective house. The nature of Brandee's relationship with this man is unclear, but Leigh does not recall seeing a wife or any other woman in this man's house.

Leigh and Paige lived at that lake house for a bit before CPS was called and told that the girls were not with their custodial parent. The two girls then went to go live with their father. Leigh said that Brandee came to visit her that final time a week later - when she drove her to her school bus stop. 

Leigh was unable to provide detectives with an actual address to this lake house, as she was only 10 years old when she lived there. Detectives went to the area where they believed it might have been located, but there is apparently only new construction there now. Additionally, investigators were never able to identify the property manager. 

The Mocksville residence.

It's unclear if Brandee returned to the lake house after that final interaction with Leigh. According to detectives, Brandee lived in Mocksville at the time she vanished - which was only a short time later. In fact, one of the investigators stated that Brandee's two daughters lived with her at the Mocksville residence in May 2006 - right before she disappeared. 

This is the same residence that Brandee lived in before, with Leigh and Paige. As previously noted, the home belonged to a boyfriend of Brandee's. When investigators finally went to house in 2010, said boyfriend still lived there.

The home was thoroughly investigated, but unfortunately nothing of significance was found. Nothing was found to indicate that any sort of foul play involving Brandee had occurred in the house. It should be noted that four years is plenty of time for evidence to fade or be removed - but still, even a thorough search with professionals turned up no evidence. 

Detectives also investigated the ex-boyfriend himself, but ultimately did not find any evidence against him. One of the investigators working the case specifically said, "there was nothing to list him as a suspect." It's unclear if he has been completely ruled out, but he is not considered a suspect either. 

The vehicle.

As previously stated, Brandee drove a 4-door Buick sedan prior to her disappearance. Many family members corroborated seeing her in this vehicle. Leigh said that Brandee was in this car when she drove her to the bus stop during their final interaction. 

Unfortunately, investigators have not been able to locate this vehicle. That might mean that the car disappeared with Brandee, but it also might not have. Investigators stated that they do not believe the car was registered to Brandee's name, which has made it more difficult to locate. 

Still, there is inevitable speculation that the car did, in fact, vanish with Brandee. As such, there is also speculation that both Brandee and the car ended up in a body of water. In 2021, a volunteer dive group called "Exploring With Nug" did a sonar search in Belews Creek. One of the detectives explained that the dive team used sonar all throughout the lake. Some sunken boats and tires were spotted, but no vehicles. 

In late September 2022, another volunteer dive team conducted a search a Belews Creek. Unfortunately, their search efforts were halted by Hurricane Ian. At this time, it is unknown if they will return to the creek at a later date. 

Theories.

As just mentioned, there has been inevitable speculation that both Brandee and her car ended up in a body of water. The body of water that the volunteer dive teams searched - Belews Creek - is the location where Brandee temporarily lived in a lake house. However, investigators have been adamant that Brandee was last seen alive in Mocksville. In fact, one detective said that he was not sure that she ever returned to the lake house. It's still entirely possible that Brandee returned to there after May 6th, but this has never been confirmed. 

If Brandee did, in fact, return to the lake house after May 6th, 2006, the property manager is definitely worth investigating. Unfortunately, detectives were unable to identify this man. He is still unknown to this day. 

There is also inevitable speculation about Brandee's ex-boyfriend. She was known to be living at his home off US 158 before she vanished. That residence is also the last place that Brandee was seen. As previously noted, the ex-boyfriend was questioned, and he has not been labeled a suspect. It's possible that he was able to destroy any evidence that might have connected him to Brandee's disappearance - as he had a four-year head start on the investigation. Still, at this time, he has not been charged with anything related to Brandee's case.

It's also possible that something or someone else altogether is responsible for Brandee's disappearance. As of 2022, no persons of interest or suspects have been identified.

Where the case stands today.

Brandee still remains missing. Her case remains open. Brandee's youngest sister, Leigh, has been posting about Brandee's case on her Tik Tok.  Her Tik Tok's have helped spread more awareness about Brandee's disappearance. News sources, including Dateline, have begun to report on the case. 

Brandee's family members are hoping to find answers. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Davie County Sheriff’s Office at 336-751-6238.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Davie County Enterprise Record
Leigh's Tik Tok
NBC News
Websleuths