Found Deceased SC - Brittanee Drexel, 17, Myrtle Beach, 25 April 2009 - #10

[mlatta]

I am working 10 days in a row starting Wednesday, but would be able to meet up with some of y'all after that if anyone wants to organize it.

Count me in... None of my friends ever want to ride out there with me (Can't really blame them, though...) I am boatless, but I drive and hike...


Seanymph "this white/red clay looking area right there at the river edge is/used to be? That's at the end of Seven Mile Rd close to South Santee River."

I checked it out on Bing maps (which is def. the best! thanks microsoft) and it was a little more clear on there. My guess is brackish impound. They have a lot of these around here. They help Perserve local wildlife's habitat, and they can be drained, control-burned. They are of interest to hunters too, ducks maybe?..

 

[RoseC]

Well, no I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I'll check the website.

As far as boats, I know some area sportsmen. Whether they'd be willing or able, can't say but can ask.

I don't know that area either, really, other than from a vehicle.

edit: will check back here tomorrow.

Well im with you, ill be glad to go but only ill get out in clear area, to many gators,wild hogs and snakes for me this time of the year,,just carry yourself a gun, you may need it ,for (wild life animals etc) thats why last year they had call searchs off due to the wild animals etc,,,but i do ride threw N Santee community itself but never alone!!!

 

[RoseC]

Just a thought (thinking outside the river box) could it be possible they didnt put her in the river,but buried the body? for ones that live here in SC if you recall last year ,law was oking ppl to capture gators and kill wild hogs,bears?? unless whoever got her is very very brave, i say they didnt go into the swamps,would been way dangers for them,im getting a feeling she was buried etc not no where near those docks or swamps,,but just my two cents,,,

 

[paradox217]

Maybe Off Topic - something about 7 mile road, and the short distance between it and the south santee river... I get a strange feeling when I ride by there.. as if something is pulling me East (toward the Atlantic) Probably doesn't mean anything, but it is definately weird, and has happened a few times.[/QUOTE]

MLatta - For what it is worth - That is very close to where I feel a "tug". I have always felt she is on the east side of 17. I am not as familiar with the area as you, but when I am driving north, just as I am coming to the bridge, I have an odd urge to get out and walk, looking over the guardrails for clues.

 

[SeaNymph]

RoseC, I thought about that too, burial. Not right down in the swampy area but even just up the bank some it is so soft and mushy, would be hard to notice 'disturbed' ground even that close.

paradox - I was wondering last night how much of an in depth search was done right around the bridges that cross both rivers for her purse etc. I still worry and wonder if it wasnt just tossed going across the bridge, her purse with phone, and happened to land on ground where the phone still sent signals. I dont think it woud have signaled if it was IN the river, but I am not sure.

 

[RoseC]

RoseC, I thought about that too, burial. Not right down in the swampy area but even just up the bank some it is so soft and mushy, would be hard to notice 'disturbed' ground even that close.

paradox - I was wondering last night how much of an in depth search was done right around the bridges that cross both rivers for her purse etc. I still worry and wonder if it wasnt just tossed going across the bridge, her purse with phone, and happened to land on ground where the phone still sent signals. I dont think it woud have signaled if it was IN the river, but I am not sure.

I can say my sons cell phone got dumped in the river his phone was dead, this was him out in boat fishing so i feel if her cell phone hit water it died ,we had replace my sons cell,killed everything in it,my son dove in got his phone,but if hers was thrown in wouldnt it seek to the bottom? or possible its in a gators tummy by now,,,but i feel the perps, most likey burn her pocketbook etc,never be a trace,,,,,just my 2 cents on this tho

 

[SeaNymph]

I can say my sons cell phone got dumped in the river his phone was dead, this was him out in boat fishing so i feel if her cell phone hit water it died ,we had replace my sons cell,killed everything in it,my son dove in got his phone,but if hers was thrown in wouldnt it seek to the bottom? or possible its in a gators tummy by now,,,but i feel the perps, most likey burn her pocketbook etc,never be a trace,,,,,just my 2 cents on this tho

Yeah, I would think too as soon as it hit the water it would be a goner as far as sending off any signals. The only thing that gives me hope there could be evidence out there from the purse are those sunglasses. I know we still dont have any verification on them, but how likely is it that Prada knockoffs, 'closely resembling hers' I think are the words they used, would be found in that area and NOT belong to her. I was hoping the contents were just scattered through time and maybe finding more items would zero it in a little more. Still wish we knew exactly where that lady found those glasses to compare it to the Powell Rd area. I'm sure wherever they were found though, LE has scoured. Seasons pass though, leaves cover things. I did take note of what I considered the searchers being thorough - in almost every shot of them in the woods, they were picking things up, turning over debris.

 

[RoseC]

RoseC, I thought about that too, burial. Not right down in the swampy area but even just up the bank some it is so soft and mushy, would be hard to notice 'disturbed' ground even that close.

Very true, to you have remember ,they truly didnt start searching till months later ,due to heat,wild animals,by fall they went back and searched so its been alot of raining etc and its been a year,so be kinda hard to locate a burial spot now,i just pray that someone will find something so family can fine closeure (this if shes not alive anymore) but seems someone in that area one found something by now,,but we never know she could be buried on private land etc,so hard to say,,i just pray for peace for her family,,,

 

[hlnoftry]

I have been away and am still going through all of the posts. You guys are amazing! I cannot believe that you have managed to narrow down the search areas!

I got an eerie feeling looking at some of those pictures of the river.

There are still a few things that just don't sit right with me in the timelines. I think some of that may be that I am just having a hard time accepting that something extremely awful may have happened to BD. I just want to log into this thread one day and see a post that she's been found alive.

Quick question, is the farm where they set up the search right on 7 Mile Road?

 

[-Doc-]

Well im with you, ill be glad to go but only ill get out in clear area, to many gators,wild hogs and snakes for me this time of the year,,just carry yourself a gun, you may need it ,for (wild life animals etc) thats why last year they had call searchs off due to the wild animals etc,,,but i do ride threw N Santee community itself but never alone!!!

Great advice Rose. I sure wish I lived near SC, I would love to do some searching but i'm planning to visit in the summer. For all you brave souls who are searching try to do it in pairs for your own safety. If you can't get a partner try to have phone contact with someone. Two is one and one is none! Be safe all!

 

[SeaNymph]

I have been away and am still going through all of the posts. You guys are amazing! I cannot believe that you have managed to narrow down the search areas!

I got an eerie feeling looking at some of those pictures of the river.

There are still a few things that just don't sit right with me in the timelines. I think some of that may be that I am just having a hard time accepting that something extremely awful may have happened to BD. I just want to log into this thread one day and see a post that she's been found alive.

Quick question, is the farm where they set up the search right on 7 Mile Road?

No, Thornhill Farms is actually on Hwy 17. If you look at this map of 7 Mile Rd, go over to Hwy 17 and then down a little towards Charleston, I think that first clearing below 7 Mile Road on the left side of Hwy 17, right at the edge of FMNP is the farm - not positive, but I think thats it.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...le,+Charleston,+South+Carolina+29458&t=h&z=15
P.S. These maps are enough to make the preacher cuss. When you go to that link and see the "A" over to the left beside 7 Mile Rd., click that and it will center the map on 7MR......uggghhhh.

 

[SeaNymph]

RoseC, I thought about that too, burial. Not right down in the swampy area but even just up the bank some it is so soft and mushy, would be hard to notice 'disturbed' ground even that close.

Very true, to you have remember ,they truly didnt start searching till months later ,due to heat,wild animals,by fall they went back and searched so its been alot of raining etc and its been a year,so be kinda hard to locate a burial spot now,i just pray that someone will find something so family can fine closeure (this if shes not alive anymore) but seems someone in that area one found something by now,,but we never know she could be buried on private land etc,so hard to say,,i just pray for peace for her family,,,

I'm trying to keep in mind, despite all our 'sleuthing', that hopefully LE is ten or more steps ahead and they have said they have POI in the area. I sure do hope something will break. I would really like to see this child reunited with her family and they have peace knowing where she is.

 

[strato]

Yeah I think it goes without saying LE would be way ahead of private citizens. They know far more than we do.

I think the best way we could help is to augment any organized search.

I don't see any harm in riding through the area by car or boat though, I am surely curious to see the areas.

Some of those properties look like the owners would be prosperous.

 

[SeaNymph]

Have any of you while doing the maps etc seen anything on Collins Creek ? i been reading back newspapers seen this piece? i may have read it earlier and it slip my mine but it caught my eye this morn,,
snip from newspaper

(A central area of focus was along South Santee Road in the Collins Creek Community, and there were moments of piqued interest Saturday.)
this was from search in October,,heres link

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=364384

South Santee Road, there is an entrance off Hwy 17 above 7 Mile Road, it then crosses 7 Mile Road and loops back around to come out on Hwy 17 below 7 Mile Road, to what looks like directly in front of Thornhill Farms. I havent seen a Collins Creek area following it but maybe I need to zoom in closer.

Here I go again with the maps... http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...le,+Charleston,+South+Carolina+29458&t=h&z=15

Ok, just below and to the right of where 7MR and South Santee Road intersect, I see "Old Collins Creek Road".

 

[SeaNymph]

Heres another area im reading in paper that they search for BD, its in MB not in Gtown or river area,,heres snip from that paper::

(The areas searched on Monday include: Yaupon Drive near Kings Highway, 19th Avenue South off of Kings Highway, and the former Air Force Base in Myrtle Beach.

Caison and Capp say they were able to eliminate these areas for any possible leads, as the search did not produce any new information.

The CUE Center plans another big search for Drexel this weekend (Oct. 17-18). Caison says no search is planned for the missing teen until then. Capp says they will be looking in the Myrtle Beach area and Georgetown County, places that have previously been searched.)

Heres link to that news story
http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/loca...brittanee_drexel_delivers_no_new_leads/80421/

Someone, LLLindsayy or MBLover maybe, and I were talking about those areas the other day. I used to live at 15th South, and my dad worked at AVX, so I am very familiar with that area on Yaupon...I said it was the most likely route if anyone got her between 20th & 15th for them to cut up 17th South to the light there at Hwy 17 quickly. Interesting they headed on over towards the bypass with the search.

RoseC, I have been wondering, once you get through Surfside, how easy is it to cut over to what is it, Hwy 707 or 701? Something like that...I always thought it was interesting that, some may remember, we heard there was a ping in Surfside and nothing else until these near the river. No pings going through MI, Pawleys, the north end of Georgetown? Surely there are towers through those areas along 17 but not so sure what the coverage would be on the west side of Georgetown going towards Andrews. I'm not familiar with those back highways that run to the west of Georgetown. Is it possible to cut over from Surfside, MI or Pawleys and get back there and then come back out to Hwy 17?

 

[SeaNymph]

I think I got ya RoseC, especially if it did ping as early as 10:18, youre saying no way they could have dipped in that far west and back out to this river area between apprx. 9PM and 10:18PM.

17 Bypass as far as it goes down would be a possibility I guess to keep them from hitting all the lights on Business 17, but then that doesnt explain the ping in Surfside. Where does bypass and business meet back up, MI, isnt it? I think they took the chances and went straight from OB to 17 Business south. If there were more than two people in the car, no problem keeping her subdued through that traffic.

 

[SeaNymph]

Oh, wow, RoseC, thanks....so if they did that they would have to go alllll the way to 501 in Conway and back through...I see that would take way too long. I had followed maps from 17 in MB down to G'town and could never see a straight cut over to 701 anywhere from Surfside down to just north of Georgetown, looks like maybe the Waccamaw River prevents that - but there have been SO MANY new roads and routes down there I didnt know if there was a route the locals may know about.

 

[strato]

If they searched on the old AF base, sounds like they think that's the route taken.

From S MB, beach road 17 takes you straight across Hghy 17 (actually intersects at a stoplight) through the old AF base to bypass 17, left turn, straight shot down to Georgetown. Possibly the quickest way at that hour. Surfside cell towers would ping from that route as well as business 17.

I don't think all the cell tower pings are being made public though, because there are plenty between Surfside and Georgetown that haven't been mentioned. For whatever reason.

edit to add: I am trying to figure the cell ping thing out, in terms of why no pings (Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys, etc). I thought maybe they took her phone, turned it off around Surfside, did their deed, went down south and turned it back on to confuse LEO. But that doesn't really make sense to me. There's something behind the absence of pings, and the Andrews area ping, I just don't know what.

And then there are the sunglasses.

 

[mlatta]

If they searched on the old AF base, sounds like they think that's the route taken.

From S MB, beach road 17 takes you straight across Hghy 17 (actually intersects at a stoplight) through the old AF base to bypass 17, left turn, straight shot down to Georgetown. Possibly the quickest way at that hour. Surfside cell towers would ping from that route as well as business 17.

I don't think all the cell tower pings are being made public though, because there are plenty between Surfside and Georgetown that haven't been mentioned. For whatever reason.

edit to add: I am trying to figure the cell ping thing out, in terms of why no pings (Murrells Inlet, Litchfield, Pawleys, etc). I thought maybe they took her phone, turned it off around Surfside, did their deed, went down south and turned it back on to confuse LEO. But that doesn't really make sense to me. There's something behind the absence of pings, and the Andrews area ping, I just don't know what.

Here is this:
"Myrtle Beach detectives tracked Drexel's cell phone signals from Myrtle Beach to Georgetown County in the first days of her disappearance. As previously reported, the cell phone made a bee line from Myrtle Beach to somewhere near the North Santee Community around the hour Drexel was last seen."http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=389366

This seems to be in a lot of other articles as well... I'm still thinking that the Andrews area ping was misreported, as well as a Williamsburg county ping..
We do know, based on reports, that her phone pinged that G-C county tower, solely, for 4-5 hours and then stopped.

Highway 17 is definatley the most popular route to/from Myrtle Beach from anywhere south. You also have Hwy 17 Business that runs parallel to it, and then eventually it connects back up to 17.

 

[strato]

mlatta, yep maybe the Andrews area ping was misreported.

RoseC, but there was one reported.

edit: and yes, I see the "path" so MI and PI would be included.