Georgetown Sheriff
The physique of a 17-year-old New York woman who vanished throughout a 2009 journey to Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina, has been discovered and recognized—and a registered intercourse offender who was an early individual of curiosity within the case is charged with kidnapping, raping, and strangling her.
At a information convention Monday, the household of Brittanee Drexel listened as a parade of regulation enforcement officers mentioned the “bittersweet” flip within the chilly case however offered no particulars about how they had been in a position to crack it after so lengthy.
“That is actually a mom’s worst nightmare,” Brittanee’s mom, Daybreak Pleckan, mentioned. “I'm mourning my stunning daughter at this time, as I've for the final 13 years.”
The person charged with killing the teenager is Raymond Moody, 62, who has a rap sheet that stretches again to 1983. He was arrested Could 4 on an obstruction cost after which hit with different counts after investigators dug up Brittanee’s physique in Concord Township, about 40 miles from the place she was final seen.
Authorities mentioned they realized of the doable burial website on April 26 and located the stays on a personal, gated property on Could 11. The sufferer was recognized by means of dental information after which DNA.
Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver mentioned that after the teenager went lacking, the Drexel household “had been promised each useful resource could be used to seek out the reply of what occurred to Brittanee, the place did it occur, how did it occur, and why did it occur.
“The why might by no means be recognized or understood, however at this time this job power can confidently and with out hesitation reply the remainder of these questions together with who's accountable.”
Myrtle Seaside Police Chief Amy Prock appeared near tears as she mentioned “each police officer has that one case that frequents their each waking thought. This was that case for many individuals in our workforce.
“Whereas we're actually grateful for having the ability to convey some closure to Brittanee’s household, Brittanee’s associates, and our group… it isn't the ultimate chapter we had been hoping for.”
Moody spent 20 years in jail for the sexual assault of a kid and was launched in 2004. In 2012, he was publicly named as an individual of curiosity after investigators searched a lodge room he had stayed in across the time Brittanee disappeared throughout her spring break journey three years earlier.
One other man, Timothy Taylor, was named an individual of curiosity a number of years later, on the premise of testimony from jailhouse informants. WCIV reviews that the FBI says Taylor is now not a suspect.
“All through the investigation we adopted a number of results in wherever they led us and till the conclusion of these leads. That portion of the investigation was concluded, and we're assured that with Moody’s arrest we've got the person answerable for Brittanee’s homicide,” the FBI mentioned in a press release.
Taylor’s legal professional mentioned in a press release that “hopefully the FBI may have the decency to problem a press release clearing Mr. Taylor with the identical fanfare as when he was falsely accused.”