Found Deceased SC - Brittanee Drexel, 17, Myrtle Beach, 25 April 2009 - #9

[RoseC]

Questions for locals...

In this area where the search was conducted, what's the depth of the water in this area?

Would these waters be navigable with a canoe, raft or john boat (with or without trolling motor)?

I truly dont no,i for one dont hang in these areas,(bad and not safe) now Mlatta, may can answer this due hes been down there latey ,,,now for pole yard landing,my brothers put in there boats sometime,but its getting so bad on landing (parking there trucks) they getting broke into so my brothers hasnt been any this year,,,to be honest that area is becoming a hot bed for stealing etc,with no jobs in Gtown area,the ones on drugs are desperate for money etc

 

[mlatta]

Questions for locals...

In this area where the search was conducted, what's the depth of the water in this area?

Would these waters be navigable with a canoe, raft or john boat (with or without trolling motor)?

The river itself could be navigated by all of the above... The river does get pretty deep in the center..

Also consider, the swamps!! Swamps are 6 inches in depth all the way up to 5 or more feet... The water is black (because tannic acid from decaying leaves on the forest floor darkens the water which drains into the river whenever it rains. ) There are also some Carolina Bays around this area... whether or not they contain water, I don't know. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_bay

Pole Yard Landing - This boat landing gets you into the deepwater part of the river fast... (I've seen pretty big boats put in from here)

 

[mlatta]

In the context of warrants, the Oxford Companion to American Law defines probable cause as "information sufficient to warrant a prudent person's belief that the wanted individual had committed a crime (for an arrest warrant) or that evidence of a crime or contraband would be found in a search (for a search warrant)". "Probable cause" is a stronger standard of evidence than a reasonable suspicion, but weaker than what is required to secure a criminal conviction. Even hearsay can supply probable cause if it is from a reliable source or supported by other evidence, according to the Aguilar-Spinelli test.

PC could not have been better defined

In order to secure a conviction, there must be evidence presented that proves guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt". This goes much farther than PC.

This makes me wonder if LE already HAS enough PC to make the arrest, they're just waiting on more solid evidence before they proceed... This case is in the national public eye. They want to avoid making an arrest, and then being aquitted. I wonder if there are circumstances that amplify LE's scrutiny i.e. race of the POIs, and the possibility major racial tension...

 

[Strawberry Fields]

One other thing to think about with regards to these possible areas/docks where BD could have been placed is the time of evening/night it supposedly occurred. It would have been pretty darn dark in those swampy areas and if this person/people had any sense they would have not wanted to have the headlights on to draw attention to what they were doing down in there. I shudder to think about those scary looking swamps. With BD being basically a "city gal" I sure hope she did not have to see this area if in fact she was placed down in there. It is just too horrible to think if she was awake/alert when she was brought down into any of those dock areas. I was reading on Morgan Harrington's threads last night and the same thought came to my mind. The place where her body was found and the area where BD was possibly taken would have been so desolate and dark, it seems only logical these perps would be locals, which I suppose has pretty much been stated by LE in BD's case, or at least the "persons of interest" are locals in her case.

 

[krista]

This may be a good source regarding the progressive searches. Looks like they have done a good job posting all news clips here:

http://www.helpfindbrittaneedrexel.com/News_Updates.html

Wow, Really helpful site!! Thanks, SeaNymph!!

 

[krista]

Rose,

Thanks so much for the detailed info about this area. I know we've had a general overview of Georgetown County, and many people here know the basic makeup and economic situation for Georgetown residents, but it just sent chills up my spine when you said that you wouldn't go to this particular area of Georgetown due to it being increasingly unsafe!
Is it just burglaries and drugs in general, or are there other things that stick out to you? For instance, are there gangs assocuated with the area, are the people involved with crime and drugs youths or mainly adults, etc?
Just anything more you can think of about the area right around Pole Yard Rd and the Oaks Plantation dr area....would LOVE to hear about it!

 

[krista]

One other thing to think about with regards to these possible areas/docks where BD could have been placed is the time of evening/night it supposedly occurred. It would have been pretty darn dark in those swampy areas and if this person/people had any sense they would have not wanted to have the headlights on to draw attention to what they were doing down in there.

Sadly, if it is this area where LE was searching, there is absolutely nothing across the river from these homes. The only people he'd have to worry about seeing him would be his neighbors.....and if it's anything like I think it is, the houses are so far apart that no one really knows what their neighbors are doing.
This is complete speculation on my part, but MANY families in SC tend to own 'compounds' of sorts...with children and grandchildren living in the house next door. I wouldn't be surprised to see several houses on the same street all belong the same last name or blood line. My point being, family will often turn their head when 'little Johnny' is out partying with his friends again.

I'd have to assume that--whatever they wanted Brittanee for--they wanted Brittanee awake/alive during that time period. What scares me more than the headlights is if neighbors ignored screams or obvious sounds of a struggle. IMHO.

 

[krista]

hmm..unlike some other articles Ive read, this early article says that Brittanee's phone was pinged to N Santee River, and that LE was searching Pole Yard Rd based on that information and a tip.
This was on May 2, 2009.

Gosh, if this info is correct, it could be that Brittanee's phone was right there with her the whole time. I still think it isn't in the water....as it wouldn't have stayed on for another 24 hours.

This may sound incredibly naive, but I almost feel like these guys hadn't fully planned where they were going to go....or they had someone back out at the last minute. Like "Jamal" said they could go to his house, but they got almost to Andrews and "Jamal" freaked out....said they couldn't go there. So "Timmy" said they should go to the national forest, but near the Seven Mile Rd area, "Timmy'' thinks his idea stinks and is worried someone will be out there camping or patroling. Finally, ''Sam" says that his house will be perfect. Something like that might explain all of the sporadic movement of her phone that night. But, ultimately, the phone might have ended up right where the new tips are focused. http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=294916

 

[krista]

Sorry I've wasted everyone's time with all of the "OMG, here's where I think they were searching for Brittanee" posts over the past few days. I really didn't know we had any specifics, but it's now clear that we've known for some time that they were interested in this very small area within Georgetown. Even this article specifically states the road they were searching in the most recent search in January, on Powell Rd. This is the exact area that I thought they were searching. http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/01/10/1253130/dozens-brave-cold-to-continue.html#Comments_Container
I am really impressed with myself that I 'found' all of my info without knowing any of those articles existed...lol...but it really doesn't help with the case!! Anyway, since it's been repeatedly confirmed that THIS area is of high value, I'd like to look up some info and find out who lives in this area. Maybe I can actually provide some NEW information next time...haha.

 

[SkewedView]

Sorry I've wasted everyone's time with all of the "OMG, here's where I think they were searching for Brittanee" posts over the past few days. I really didn't know we had any specifics, but it's now clear that we've known for some time that they were interested in this very small area within Georgetown. Even this article specifically states the road they were searching in the most recent search in January, on Powell Rd. This is the exact area that I thought they were searching. http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/01/10/1253130/dozens-brave-cold-to-continue.html#Comments_Container
I am really impressed with myself that I 'found' all of my info without knowing any of those articles existed...lol...but it really doesn't help with the case!! Anyway, since it's been repeatedly confirmed that THIS area is of high value, I'd like to look up some info and find out who lives in this area. Maybe I can actually provide some NEW information next time...haha.

I don't think you've wasted anyone's time at all - to the contrary, you've brought this location to the forefront of discussion, something that hasn't happened in quite a long time (seems we keep getting focused on MB, the hotels etc). This has given us some new energy and avenues of research, so I say keep doing what you've been doing!

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I don't think you've wasted anyone's time at all - to the contrary, you've brought this location to the forefront of discussion, something that hasn't happened in quite a long time (seems we keep getting focused on MB, the hotels etc). This has given us some new energy and avenues of research, so I say keep doing what you've been doing!

ITA Skewedview! krista, and all, you have been doing a great job sleuthing!
I am appreciative of all your efforts and for the local input.

wm

 

[SeaNymph]

Sorry I've wasted everyone's time with all of the "OMG, here's where I think they were searching for Brittanee" posts over the past few days. I really didn't know we had any specifics, but it's now clear that we've known for some time that they were interested in this very small area within Georgetown. Even this article specifically states the road they were searching in the most recent search in January, on Powell Rd. This is the exact area that I thought they were searching. http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/01/10/1253130/dozens-brave-cold-to-continue.html#Comments_Container
I am really impressed with myself that I 'found' all of my info without knowing any of those articles existed...lol...but it really doesn't help with the case!! Anyway, since it's been repeatedly confirmed that THIS area is of high value, I'd like to look up some info and find out who lives in this area. Maybe I can actually provide some NEW information next time...haha.

Not at all, krista, you shouldnt feel that way. Digging back to things more specific we havent focused on for over a year now can uncover so much. If it werent for your posts, I wouldnt have looked for those clips. I am still interested in pinpointing that location we saw on that one clip - hoping RoseC can shed some light on if she knows any more specifics of a road in the area, "Ladonna" or "Caladonia"...anything like that. I went back to the Google maps, because you know, following them in the areas will reveal other road names and couldnt find anything really close that showed up on the Google maps. I also know those Google maps may not get down as specific as dirt roads, and it's entirely possible that sign I saw was a dirt road. I just would like to find that road, and we'd know squarely where they were looking. I say I think it was the December/January search because of the way all the searchers were dressed. We had an unusually solid winter around here, in my opinion, with some pretty cold days. I saw video from a search in October (17th, I think) and we all know it wasnt that cold here in October, never usually is.

ETA: Where is 'Corner Loop' in the North Santee area?

Edited, again, something I am famous for, to answer my own question!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...op,+Georgetown,+South+Carolina+29440&t=h&z=14

Pull the map to find "A", thats where it pinpoints "Corner Loop" in Georgetown when I entered it.

I'm going to try to zoom in some to see whats around there.

 

[SeaNymph]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....227497,-79.405789&spn=0.003967,0.009624&z=17

Wanted to test that link. If you pull that map down and over to the right just a little, you will see "Corner Loop" up there and then "Mazyck Dr" over to the right. Wonder if that area of the river right there would be considered an 'alcove'? It is just south of the "Corner Loop" and west of "Mazyck Dr.". I can't zoom in any closer to see if there is a small dock there. But it looks interesting to me considering all the other locations mentioned as search areas.

 

[-Doc-]

I have been away this weekend, do we know if they are searching any of these areas? Keep up the good work all!

 

[RoseC]

Dont no if anyone has seen this ,before but very heart touching,,this from BD one year in MB,but her Aunt Keri had this in a paper (im guessing in FL ) heres link

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/4/25/611480.html?cid=addthis

 

[SeaNymph]

Doc, not that I am aware of..but who knows? What I am just trying to pinpoint is where the December/January searches may have concentrated after this supposed 'credible tip' in December. I'm basing my maps on bits and pieces from various articles that mention certain roads, Powell Road, Corner Loop, in correlation to the original sites, Pole Yard Landing, Hopsewee Planation. Those two areas specifically, if you pull the last Google map I posted over towards the left, you will see they are just east of these areas on the map.

 

[krista]

This may be a good source regarding the progressive searches. Looks like they have done a good job posting all news clips here:

http://www.helpfindbrittaneedrexel.com/News_Updates.html

I was trying to read a road sign on one of them, looked like from December, maybe "Caladonia", "Caldonna" or "Ladonna" on the road sign, not sure.

Look specifically at the clips, third down, just above the paragraph starting "Dawn Drexel of Rochester lays a wreath..." and then about three more below that, above the clip says "Search for missing teenager continues" from scnow.com, channel 13, 2:22 in length. If we could pin down that street sign we could get a much better idea of where this December search concentrated. I tried to stop the video at about 1:31-1:33, best I get looks more like "Ladonna".

First, Thank you all for being so nice!! I LOVE this group....really love how awesome everyone in here is and how each person seems to have something that they bring to the table!!

Seanymph,

Brilliant find on this street!! It isn't on google maps, nor are most of the streets in this area. But I found it on mapquest!!

It's "Belladonna Court'' and it's right off Corner Loop!! Here's the link:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=G...e=33.230835&longitude=-79.41167&geocode=BLOCK

It appears that EVERY house on Belladonna Ct has it's own boat dock. On a bright note, it looks like there are only 6 houses on the street. Should be easy enough to find out who lives in these places.

 

[nosysw]

Dont no if anyone has seen this ,before but very heart touching,,this from BD one year in MB,but her Aunt Keri had this in a paper (im guessing in FL ) heres link

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/4/25/611480.html?cid=addthis

Thank you for posting this, Rose...

 

[SeaNymph]

First, Thank you all for being so nice!! I LOVE this group....really love how awesome everyone in here is and how each person seems to have something that they bring to the table!!

Seanymph,

Brilliant find on this street!! It isn't on google maps, nor are most of the streets in this area. But I found it on mapquest!!

It's "Belladonna Court'' and it's right off Corner Loop!! Here's the link:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=G...e=33.230835&longitude=-79.41167&geocode=BLOCK

It appears that EVERY house on Belladonna Ct has it's own boat dock. On a bright note, it looks like there are only 6 houses on the street. Should be easy enough to find out who lives in these places.

Excellent krista! See, we all work together to pull the bits and pieces we have and resources we are familiar with together and that's exactly where they were concentrating the search after the tip in December!

Sometimes when I post my map links, the get a little 'off center' of the link it gave me, so try this one and pull it around if you have to, but that road that dips down and curves should be the one you found, BELLADONNA !

Just southeast of that is that tiny area in the river that looked TO ME like the closest thing to an 'alcove' but up there close to where Belladonna is, maybe there could be some little 'juts' in from the river bank too.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...3.229462,-79.41022&spn=0.003967,0.009624&z=17

 

[krista]

Arg...

Well, I've been ''driving'' around Corner Loop via the Georgetown County tax map. Several properties don't appear to be owned by anyone, but more than half of those that have owners list the owners as living somewhere other than the tax map property. Frustrating.
I'm assuming that these houses may be rentals and that there may be no way for us to know who was staying in these homes last April.
Anyway, I'm still looking for a sex offender or something else to link back to any of these roads.
I've been looking at these photos again...of the Dec/Jan searches.
http://www.carolinalive.com/news/photos.aspx?id=386560
I really think that this dock is FAR more obscure. There doesn't appear to be a road or a house at the dock...the dock looks very homemade and 'rustic'. All of the visible houses on Belladonna Ct appear to have houses right on the water and/or paved routes to the docks. The one where LE searched doesn't appear to have a driveway at all...nor any cleared pathway to the dock. It's hard to tell, but I'm thinking that the actual dock where they searched for so long is one that may not be visible on the map. It also may not have a house associated to it. ...may just be a fishing dock used by locals, etc. If you look at the CLEAR alcove areas in this area, there are a couple of contenders. IMHO.