Found Deceased SC - Brittanee Drexel, 17, Myrtle Beach, 25 April 2009 - #8

I would hope and have to believe that people are being watched and that they won't get far if they do try to run.

I think, right now, we should try to put our faith in LE and that they are doing everything possible to bring this case to a conclusion.

I'm happy to know that it seems things are progressing where Brittanee is concerned. She needs to come home to her family - it's been way too long. My outlook is positive and hopefully this will happen soon!

mlatta said:

For the most part, I didn't read any new info. The bolded part above has me a little worried that these guys are going to book it the hell out of dodge...

I wonder WHEN these people were previously questioned? We only know, FOR SURE, that LE questioned (At least some members of) The Chili gang, and they stopped by Georgetown HS, once, breifly a while back, in relation to this case.

This may be a case where the perp has already left town, and LE picks him up when he/she re-surfaces YEARS later... I hope not...

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I think LE is watching them like a hawk. I think bailing makes them look guilty as hell and I think they are smart enough to know that. I think LE is looking for them to freak out...panic....do something stupid. These guys have got to be sweating....
I STILL believe these are younger people...high school, college aged kids. I am SHOCKED that they have taken this long to break down. Generally, 3-4 people means 3-4 mouths that have to remain shut and 3-4 alibis that have to be exact and unwavering. It sounds like...based on some of the tips...that at least a few people saw something or were told something by the POI's. I wonder what the chances are that all 3-4 of these guys were complete angels prior to Brittanee. I'd bet that at least the ring leader has been in trouble before, and may already have a juvie record. IMHO. You don't just go from innocent to kidnapping, rape, and murder overnight.

mlatta said:

We don't know for sure where all these POIs are from? It's very possible that one of the Chili gang is a POI. There was something like 14 of them in MB at the time...

Their behavior is beyond "not nice" IMO that is why I think they know something. As I've said in the past, I am fairly certain they did not "set Brittanee up" nor do I think they are repsonsible for her disappearance.

I do however, believe they are holding some detail back. Perhaps a name of someone they met while on this trip - possibly someone at Club K, ro on the beach, or in the same hotel as them.

This is where my drug dealer theory fits nicely.

The fact that this person is a drug dealer might be enough reason enough to withold this detail... They're scared of him/her... They might not even know this person's name, but they are so self-centered, they do not want the world to know they were buying a bag of coke, or some pills.

That is my take on the Chili Gang... I still don't believe the "black shorts" story either, I don't know why but my gut tells me it's BS.

IMHOO

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LE has said, and I have posted in response many times, that the POIs are from South Carolina. More specifically, one article confirmed that they are from NORTH SANTEE.

I keep posting this and apparently it keeps getting over looked.

mlatta said:

For the most part, I didn't read any new info. The bolded part above has me a little worried that these guys are going to book it the hell out of dodge...

I wonder WHEN these people were previously questioned? We only know, FOR SURE, that LE questioned (At least some members of) The Chili gang, and they stopped by Georgetown HS, once, breifly a while back, in relation to this case.

This may be a case where the perp has already left town, and LE picks him up when he/she re-surfaces YEARS later... I hope not...

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BBM.

LE has said that they have been looking at these POIs since the first of the year. I guess that narrows down the timespan in which they could have been questioned.

Mother of missing NY teen to appear on Today Show
Posted: Apr 15, 2010 2:37 PM EDT Updated: Apr 15, 2010 2:37 PM EDT

NEW YORK, NY (WMBF) - The distressed mother of a missing New York teen is scheduled to appear on the Today Show in New York Friday concerning her daughter's missing persons case.

Officials with the CUE Center in Wilmington say Dawn Drexel is expected to appear on the nationally televised show between 7-8 a.m. to bring awareness to the disappearance of her daughter, Brittanee Drexel.

More at link...
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=12318572

mlatta said:

Last but not least, I would think dead battery before I jumped to a foul play conclusion....

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Snipped by me.

Being pretty close to Brittanee's age, and the exact same age as some of the MB crew, I can possibly vouch for how we (my age group) work this situation.

If someone isn't answering text messages, you call their phone. If the phone rings, the battery is not dead. If the battery is dead your phone call will go straight to voicemail.

This is how we know if someone is ignoring us or not

If JG tried called Britt's phone and it rang, he would know it wasn't dead.

You know...that's something I haven't thought about....

Surely these people aren't so out of touch that they don't know that cell phones can be traced, right? This wasn't 10 years ago...but 2009. Even if they didn't know about the pings....why would they keep the phone that would have been REPEATEDLY ringing? Why wouldn't they throw it out the window or turn it off, break it, etc.

Ugh, I keep wavering, but now I'm wondering if the only reason that phone was still ringing is because the time was earlier and Brittanee was alive and well and texting in her abductors vehicle from 8:14 on..... And suddenly, at 9:15, she ceased all communication.


Do we have timelines for WHERE the phone was pinging at 9:15-9:30?
Was her text at 9:15pm to JG from Ocean Blvd area, or closer to Georgetown? Anyone know? I know we had a 'pinging timeline' at one point...or I think we did.

Just to add to the confusion....if you drive from BWR to Andrews, SC (the closest city to Georgetown that's in Williamsburg County...where BD's phone was pinging) then to Georgetown it will take approx. 1 hour and 5 minutes.

My wording may be confusing, but what I am essentially saying is that IF the 'friends' timelines were accurate that would mean Brittanee was texting while in the vehicle of her abductors...
It would mean that she was abducted just after 8:13 leaving BWR.....and it would mean that her last text was an hour later, at 9:15, to JG.
I just realized that the timing would work out that way as well...with Brittanee's last text at 9:15 and with the vehicle taking roughly one hour to get to Georgetown, arriving at 9:15-9:20.
Meaning the last ping we have from Brittanee's phone (Georgetown) MAY be the same place she was at 9:15 when she made her last text.
Dunno why, but I feel like this makes sense...that she knew them sort of, felt comfortable, left with them at 8:15 from BWR parking garage....texted back and forth, chatted with abductors...went to one area to score...no one home..or got something and got high on the way to Georgetown...texts JG....abductors turn violent....can't text back.....JG is worried by 9:30pm.....friends are not concerned since they know she's supposed to be finding them drugs....they call and text...no response....they call PB, he hasn't seen her...JG continues to worry...goes to DD's house after work to tell her...3 hours after Brittanee was last seen (per BWR video)....2 hours after Brittanee was last heard from (per last text).
Just thinking here....nothing concrete...shoot it down if you want!!

krista said:

Just to add to the confusion....if you drive from BWR to Andrews, SC (the closest city to Georgetown that's in Williamsburg County...where BD's phone was pinging) then to Georgetown it will take approx. 1 hour and 5 minutes.

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This has been my take on it...

(If there's one angle in this case I have looked into a LOT, its the cell tower pings)

The only ping i have confirmed came from a cell tower near highway 17 near the Charleston-Georgetown county line

Various news outlets have used these terms to describe this area:
AKA: near the Santee rivers, AKA: North Santee Community AKA: Just north of the Franics Marion National forest ...

not to be confused with the town of Georgetown (further north) which is a nice place...

There were alleged reports of cell phone pings in surfside beach, and williamsburg county...

The williamsburg county (west of g county) report, i believe, was erroneouos reporting. all the alleged articles that stated this are gone... unless someone else knows something i don't?

The surfside beach ping does not tell us much, it south of myrtle beach, north of georegetown county, so they would HAVE to drive through this area. The only thing it MAY tell us, is whether or not they used Hwy 17 or Hwy 17 Business to go south... we do not have the time this ping came in either.

That being said, the g-c county line ping is the only one we have anything to go on. The times were something like 11pm (saturday) to 5am (sunday) that it pinged this last tower... ***Someone PLEASE clarify that for me

they launched 2 of the searches from Pole Yard boat landing in georgetown. I searched online, and in person along that area. i couold only find one cell tower within operating radius of pole yard. an effective coverage area of an antenna like this is 7 - 11 miles. The antenna itself is located on six mile road 1-2 mi off 17 on the E side. I attached a couple pics, including a nifty county/city map i found...

enjoy!

RoseC said:

Matt,,im thinking that williamburg ping was mixed up those first few days from new reporters, if i recall right that report was given out seem time new picked up that a witness seen BD on that Williamsburg transit bus i think thats how Williamsburg ping got screwd in,,,,,from what i heard bd cell ping last time at 9:15 or 9:30 that Saturday nite,and that was it till the ping show up at tower in (near pole yard landing,,,,but again i guess im wrong,,but its in file,,,,,

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PS,,, yes Williamsburg county is in West Andrews area county line road,,but most of Andrews is Gtown county

RoseC said:

Matt,,im thinking that williamburg ping was mixed up those first few days from new reporters, if i recall right that report was given out seem time new picked up that a witness seen BD on that Williamsburg transit bus i think thats how Williamsburg ping got screwd in,,,,,from what i heard bd cell ping last time at 9:15 or 9:30 that Saturday nite,and that was it till the ping show up at tower in (near pole yard landing,,,,but again i guess im wrong,,but its in file,,,,,

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You're not wrong, Rose.. her last text message (allegedly) went out at 9:15...
we dont know what location that text message was from..

Her cell phone continued to ping south until it stopped, near pole yard, around 11pm and continued to ping until 5AM at which point its safe to say the battery died.

Ping - a cell phone must only be 1) powered on and 2) within range of said tower

mlatta said:

You're not wrong, Rose.. her last text message (allegedly) went out at 9:15...
we dont know what location that text message was from..

Her cell phone continued to ping south until it stopped, near pole yard, around 11pm and continued to ping until 5AM at which point its safe to say the battery died.

Ping - a cell phone must only be 1) powered on and 2) within range of said tower

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This is where I'm confused it says in the articles her cell phone gave off the last ping the following evening. So that would be Sunday around 8/or 9 pm? Then people say it stopped pinging at 5 AM Sunday Morning which is it. i"m going to find where it says this now

Here is one of the articles it says the next night so Sunday night not sunday morning. Where does it say until 5am it's last ping. I dont' know if I have been clear asking this. These are 2 different times.

Drexel disappeared after she was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach. Drexel was in the area against the will of her mother.

Contact was lost between Drexel and her family in New York on April 25, 2009, the same night authorities say she disappeared. The last signal from her cell phone came the next night near the South Santee River.

When the cell phone ping story came out it was stated at first that the cell phone pinged until early Sunday morning...or the wee hours of Sunday Morning.

THAT is why on the time line there is a ? after the 5 AM.

Rochestergirl said:

Here is one of the articles it says the next night so Sunday night not sunday morning. Where does it say until 5am it's last ping. I dont' know if I have been clear asking this. These are 2 different times.

Drexel disappeared after she was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach. Drexel was in the area against the will of her mother.

Contact was lost between Drexel and her family in New York on April 25, 2009, the same night authorities say she disappeared. The last signal from her cell phone came the next night near the South Santee River.

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Thats what ive read and heard also,that last ping signal was Sunday night

krista said:

Just to add to the confusion....if you drive from BWR to Andrews, SC (the closest city to Georgetown that's in Williamsburg County...where BD's phone was pinging) then to Georgetown it will take approx. 1 hour and 5 minutes.

My wording may be confusing, but what I am essentially saying is that IF the 'friends' timelines were accurate that would mean Brittanee was texting while in the vehicle of her abductors...
It would mean that she was abducted just after 8:13 leaving BWR.....and it would mean that her last text was an hour later, at 9:15, to JG.
I just realized that the timing would work out that way as well...with Brittanee's last text at 9:15 and with the vehicle taking roughly one hour to get to Georgetown, arriving at 9:15-9:20.
Meaning the last ping we have from Brittanee's phone (Georgetown) MAY be the same place she was at 9:15 when she made her last text.
Dunno why, but I feel like this makes sense...that she knew them sort of, felt comfortable, left with them at 8:15 from BWR parking garage....texted back and forth, chatted with abductors...went to one area to score...no one home..or got something and got high on the way to Georgetown...texts JG....abductors turn violent....can't text back.....JG is worried by 9:30pm.....friends are not concerned since they know she's supposed to be finding them drugs....they call and text...no response....they call PB, he hasn't seen her...JG continues to worry...goes to DD's house after work to tell her...3 hours after Brittanee was last seen (per BWR video)....2 hours after Brittanee was last heard from (per last text).
Just thinking here....nothing concrete...shoot it down if you want!!

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Krista,

This is essentially the same timeline/theory we were discussing several pages ago.

I think it works well based on the times given in the majority of the articles. I'm with you on this one -- this is what I feel would most likely be correct.

To back up this theory, LE has stated that they have selected Georgetown County as the place where something happened to Brittanee, because that's where communication from her phone stopped. I took this to mean where she stopped texting, because they also pointed out that she was an avid texter leading up to her disappearance, and when her phone reached Georgetown, she stopped.

Then, it appears that her phone may have sent signals to the same tower until the battery died (which it would have done sooner rather than later if she was receiving calls and texts and the phone kept having to light up/ring for each one.

mlatta said:

That is my take on the Chili Gang... I still don't believe the "black shorts" story either, I don't know why but my gut tells me it's BS.

IMHOO

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As I ponder the "black shorts" comment, I did some digging. As someone already mentioned, "shorts" is a term that means someone was "shorted" on their drug buy or just generally short of drugs. "Blacks" is a definition all over the net for "amphetamines".

So, putting that all together, IF someone did say "I want my black shorts back", it could really mean that BD "borrowed" someone's drugs and they wanted them back pronto. Could be she was looking for a buy on the street on the way back to the hotel, which would fit into the rest of your theory nicely.

MBLover said:

I would hope and have to believe that people are being watched and that they won't get far if they do try to run.

I think, right now, we should try to put our faith in LE and that they are doing everything possible to bring this case to a conclusion.

I'm happy to know that it seems things are progressing where Brittanee is concerned. She needs to come home to her family - it's been way too long. My outlook is positive and hopefully this will happen soon!

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I do have faith in our LE, here is an example- Here in Conway yesterday there was a lady missing, she was found deceased hours later on a road she regularly went jogging on. The husband has been arrested for murder. Although the circumstances are different in this case, the husband tried to make it out as if she went jogging in the morning and never came back. This couple were liked by their community and just hosted a HOA meeting at their house last week. The neighbors are in total shock , never would have thought something like this would have happened and not between this couple. He is obviously a dr. jeckyl and mr. hyde. Anyway, the police were able to wrap this case up and not let the neighbors or other citizens worry about a random killer. The details are still sketchy and the motive is unknown.

I feel the police are doing a great job in Britt's case, I'm sure they are on top of this poi.

nobull said:

As I ponder the "black shorts" comment, I did some digging. As someone already mentioned, "shorts" is a term that means someone was "shorted" on their drug buy or just generally short of drugs. "Blacks" is a definition all over the net for "amphetamines".

So, putting that all together, IF someone did say "I want my black shorts back", it could really mean that BD "borrowed" someone's drugs and they wanted them back pronto. Could be she was looking for a buy on the street on the way back to the hotel, which would fit into the rest of your theory nicely.

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Your drug lingo knowledge is pretty amazing!! LOL.

That's really interesting, actually. I would have never thought to even look it up. Thanks!!

Do the police think Brittanee is close to the area from which she went missing?