MN MN - Brandon Swanson, 19, Marshall, 14 May 2008

[BethInAK]

One more thing I just noticed in an article.

"Dahl (LE) said law enforcement expected Brandon Swanson’s cell phone to not work but when they made calls to it during the day on Wednesday and Thursday, the phone rang and eventually calls were directed to his voice mail.

Well they should be able to trace the tower for these calls, no?

 

[ShannieMonkey]

http://www.startribune.com/19649059.html?location_refer=Error

TAUNTON, MINN. -- Another weekend search has ended with no sign of a missing 19-year-old Marshall man.

About 100 searchers gathered in Taunton over the weekend to look for Brandon Swanson. Authorities say he was last heard from in a cell phone call to his parents on May 14. His car was found in a ditch near Taunton.

Private investigator and search organizer Gary Peterson says the weekend's search focused on an area previously scoured by volunteers and law enforcement. The search included dogs, people on horseback and searchers on foot.

 

[CeeJay]

BethInAk - I believe they did trace his cell phone to the towers nearby - but never found the actual phone. Or am I thinking of another case? It was just weird that the phone call to his dad dropped abruptly - but then still worked later (and by worked, I mean didn't go directly to voicemail). I would think if he fell into the river or into a well or something it would stop working permanently. But for days the phone was ringing b4 voicemail before the battery eventually died. So I don't think he stumbled into water.

He talked to his dad about a fence, as if he was walking off road. I'm wondering if he went into the ditch, why didn't he walk along the road until he came into town?

They're searching by where the car went into the ditch. But he talked to his dad for 45 minutes... They need to searching in a 45 minute radius from the car... I think he was walking the whole time.

So strange.

 

[Busylady]

MARSHALL — The search for Brandon Swanson, 19, of Marshall will suspend for about 10 days, search organizer Gary Peterson said Sunday evening.


Peterson said organizers involved in the privately funded search which started about two weeks ago want time to re-assess the progress of the search. The organizers will not conduct a search this weekend, Peterson said.


Swanson has been missing since May 14. He has not been heard from since he abruptly lost cell phone contact with his parents in the early morning of May 14. Swanson’s car had went into a ditch along the Lincoln and Lyon County line road near Taunton. The search has included fields and wooded areas near the Yellow Medicine River in Lincoln and Lyon Counties.

http://marshallindependent.com/page/content.detail/id/502391.html?nav=5015

article dated June 9th

 

[fran]

I just don't understand how Brandon could have disappeared without a trace. Very confounding, IMO.

IF they later locate him in the river, I will never believe it was an accident.

JMHO
fran

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Brandon is now listed on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

NCMEC

 

[fran]

After reading this article, I seriously think he most likely fell into a well or something. That's got to be it.

JMHO
fran


http://wcco.com/local/missing.sons.fathers.2.748693.html

2 Fathers On A Mission: To Find Their Missing Sons


MARSHALL, Minn. (AP) ― David Francis and Brian Swanson are separated by 181 miles and 20 years but connected by heartache no father should have to bear. Each has searched for a lost son.

Francis, who lives in Stillwater, spent more than a year looking for his son, Jon, who disappeared while climbing in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains in 2006.

Now Francis is helping Swanson, of Marshall, find his son.

Nineteen-year-old Brandon Swanson was returning home May 14 after a party in Canby when his car went into a ditch on a gravel road. He called home at 1:54 a.m. and asked his parents to pick him up near Lynd. He said he would walk toward town.

As Brian and Annette Swanson drove toward Lynd, Brian talked to Brandon on his cell phone.

"I talked to him for 47 minutes, and all of a sudden, he said, 'Oh, s--!' and the phone went dead," Brian Swanson said.

It was 3:10 a.m.

"We haven't been able to get in contact with him since," he said.

The Swansons kept calling but got his voice mail. About 6:30 a.m., they called the sheriff's office and reported their son missing.

 

[Salem]

He may have fallen into a well, but why can't they find it? They knew where he was... This is so strange. By now, they should have found him. It doesn't make sense. Find his car, mark how far he could have walked in the 2 hours or so, look for any markers he gave his dad while they were on the phone, pin point the location and find him. I'm not understanding why they can't find him.

Salem

 

[looneymama]

this is so sad...I don't get it either so either he fell in a well or something or dropped the phone and couldn't find it. I know "oh s---" is usually the thing I say when I drop my phone... it's possible that it was the only thing providing him light on a road out that far he could've dropped it and been unable to find it. Didn't they say that they called it and it would ring for a while until the battery died?

 

[Woofie]

MARSHALL, Minn. -- A search and recovery team from Texas is headed to Minnesota to help in the search for a missing Marshall man.
Lincoln County Sheriff Jack Vizecky says the team from TexasEquSearch will bring a remote control aircraft, underwater sonar detection and other equipment to the Taunton area to help in the search for 19-year-old Brandon Swanson.

More at the link:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=515967

 

[marshall]

You cannot even being to understand. It's not like he drove off onto a field approach, got stuck, called his dad and everyone should just be able to "find him". The gravel roads in the area are confusing..winding, twisting, t-intersections, etc. This happened out in the country in the dark. There are many heavily wooded areas near and around the area Brandon's car was found. There are several ponds, swamps and rivers near where Brandons car was found. There are many fence lines (barbed or otherwise) in the area, there are many sink holes in the area. I am one of the ground searchers in the search for Brandon so I know first hand what the terraine in like and trust me, it's aweful. Some of the wooded areas we searched were so dense we could hardly see our own hands in front of our faces. The river winds and twists...searching in and around the river is by far no in no way an easy task physically... ..if you have ever had to search for a needle in a haystack, then you will have some idea of how we feel when we're out searching. It's not easy to just find someone. The river has gone up 5 feet and back down again and up again and down again, etc. We're not dealing with a wide section of land around the car that is cleared out, no trees, etc. Texas Equusearch is now joining in to help us in the search (Bless their hearts!!). I believe they arrived here in Marshall today. I hope and pray we find Brandon this weekend.

Please keep his family and friends in your prayers. I never knew Brandon or his family before Brandon went missing but since the first time I volunteered (among many) to help in the search and interacting with his immediate and extended family, I soon learned how special of a man Brandon is ..and also how special his family is.

 

[barb0301]

You cannot even being to understand. It's not like he drove off onto a field approach, got stuck, called his dad and everyone should just be able to "find him". The gravel roads in the area are confusing..winding, twisting, t-intersections, etc. This happened out in the country in the dark. There are many heavily wooded areas near and around the area Brandon's car was found. There are several ponds, swamps and rivers near where Brandons car was found. There are many fence lines (barbed or otherwise) in the area, there are many sink holes in the area. I am one of the ground searchers in the search for Brandon so I know first hand what the terraine in like and trust me, it's aweful. Some of the wooded areas we searched were so dense we could hardly see our own hands in front of our faces. The river winds and twists...searching in and around the river is by far no in no way an easy task physically... ..if you have ever had to search for a needle in a haystack, then you will have some idea of how we feel when we're out searching. It's not easy to just find someone. The river has gone up 5 feet and back down again and up again and down again, etc. We're not dealing with a wide section of land around the car that is cleared out, no trees, etc. Texas Equusearch is now joining in to help us in the search (Bless their hearts!!). I believe they arrived here in Marshall today. I hope and pray we find Brandon this weekend.

Please keep his family and friends in your prayers. I never knew Brandon or his family before Brandon went missing but since the first time I volunteered (among many) to help in the search and interacting with his immediate and extended family, I soon learned how special of a man Brandon is ..and also how special his family is.

I am keeping Brandon, his family and all of the searchers in my prayers. I know Texas Equusearch, and I know that they put their whole hearts and souls into every single search they perform. I worked on one with them earlier this year and have seen firsthand the work they do. I'm glad they are coming to assist.

Thanks for your post, and please, keep us updated. Stay safe on the search, and know we are thinking of you !! (((( hugs ))))

 

[marshall]

We'll be out searching tomorrow. It's been a long week and I've been looking forward to the weekend to arrive so I can get back out and help search. Unfortunately, I will not be able to search tomorrow with the group as my husband will be out of town and I could not find anyone to watch my three little ones. I wanted to do something for tomorrow so I baked a bunch of cookies, bars, etc. to bring to the command post tomorrow. Should the search continue into Sunday, I will definitely be there to help in the search. I sure hope Brandon is found tomorrow, it's time to bring him home.

Many prayers going out to all of Brandons family and friends.

 

[fran]

http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/22199154.html

Still Searching For Brandon

By Drew Sandholm

Story Created: Jun 27, 2008 at 9:46 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 27, 2008 at 10:59 PM CDT

It's been six weeks since 19-year-old Brandon Swanson of Marshall, MN went missing.

On Saturday, volunteer crews will continue to look for the missing teen. They plan to expand their search and concentrate on the Yellow Medicine River. Brandon's dad Brian says that every weekend dozens of people volunteered their time and he couldn't be more thankful.

"In our society, you know, just sometimes it seems everybody is out for number one, but this has proven to me that people care about others and they'll do anything for you," said Brian. The Swansons welcome volunteers to join their search this weekend.

 

[marshall]

Wow- today was a long day or so it seemed. We continued the search yesterday and again today. When I left at around 4:30 today, we hadn't found anything. There were some people/searchers that were able to stay a little longer so if I hear anything on it I'll send a post out. We will continue the search...it's tiring but it's just something that people need to help with so we can bring Brandon back home to his family.

Not much to report for now and I'm wiped out from walking all day. Keep them in your prayers.

 

[cheko1]

Wow- today was a long day or so it seemed. We continued the search yesterday and again today. When I left at around 4:30 today, we hadn't found anything. There were some people/searchers that were able to stay a little longer so if I hear anything on it I'll send a post out. We will continue the search...it's tiring but it's just something that people need to help with so we can bring Brandon back home to his family.

Not much to report for now and I'm wiped out from walking all day. Keep them in your prayers.

Marshall...A giant hug for you & all the searchers!
My heart breaks for his family...hopefully he can be brought back to his family so they can have peace of mind.

 

[Tranaice]

Marshall, I'm also sending big hugs to you for your hard work in trying to find Brandon. My thoughts and prayers are with all of Brandon's family and friends and all of you are trying so hard to find him. Bless you all. :blowkiss:

 

[RememberTara]

Interview with the Swanson family.

http://www.keloland.com/videoarchive/index.cfm?VideoFile=063008eye

 

[barb0301]

Marshall...A giant hug for you & all the searchers!
My heart breaks for his family...hopefully he can be brought back to his family so they can have peace of mind.

Ditto !! :blowkiss:

 

[CeeJay]

So sad. Thank you, Marshall, for updating us on the conditions in that area - far trickier than any newspaper reports have indicated.

Have you heard anything more about the Texas Equusearch group? How their search is going?

Do they search every weekend? I live a few hours from there... I'm sure I could get a few people to come out.

Hugs and prayers for all involved.