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