Found Deceased SC - Brittanee Drexel, 17, Myrtle Beach, 25 April 2009 - #15

[Farmhand]

I agree.

If you watch the video of Brittanee walking away from the hotel, you can see how busy the street is and how fast the traffic moves. You also see how many people are walking back and forth.
There isn't a parking lane...Someone would have had to stop, block traffic, get out, snatch her, pull her into the car and take off with at least 50 other cars around. (and at least one blowing the horn to get out of the way. Brittanee was reportedly in a fairly bad mood and from her mother's reports, she could have a temper. I'm sure she wasn't an easy target.
It's just very unlikely.

When I look at the timeline, Peter and his friends are the ones that fit.
The time it took to drive south, then back and pack up their things VERY hastily. (to the point of not collecting clothes from the bathroom)

I've never been to MB but have noticed on YouTube videos of MB and on Google Earth there are numerous parking areas next to the sidewalks. A person wouldn't necessarily need to drive down the boulevard, stop and grab BD with all the parking areas right next to the street. You could be parked and just lay and wait for someone if you noticed them walking down the street by themselves. If you were familiar with MB you would know the areas on the boulevard that are less traveled. If someone gave her a ride wouldn't the same be true? The vehicle would block traffic, people would have to drive around the vehicle and most likely a conversation would have occurred. The person would roll down the window or open the door and ask her if she needed a ride, try to make things as low-key and comfortable as possible, etc. If she didn't know the person this conversation would have lasted longer. With all of the media attention this case got I would think someone would remember seeing her get in a vehicle and getting a ride. Someone a while back posted a comment about a girl that was abducted near St.Louis a couple of years ago. She was abducted during the day in front of a Target store and it was captured on camera. I googled and found the video. The abduction occurred in a matter of 10-15 seconds and no one saw a thing. They were able to find the perp and convict him because of the video.

 

[AnonymousD]

I'm not sure if this is the video you are asking for but at :44 it shows BD walking down the street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kkMglrcK1J4#!

Thank you, Farmhand.

I have never seen that before!

 

[AnonymousD]

I've never been to MB but have noticed on YouTube videos of MB and on Google Earth there are numerous parking areas next to the sidewalks. A person wouldn't necessarily need to drive down the boulevard, stop and grab BD with all the parking areas right next to the street. You could be parked and just lay and wait for someone if you noticed them walking down the street by themselves. If you were familiar with MB you would know the areas on the boulevard that are less traveled. If someone gave her a ride wouldn't the same be true? The vehicle would block traffic, people would have to drive around the vehicle and most likely a conversation would have occurred. The person would roll down the window or open the door and ask her if she needed a ride, try to make things as low-key and comfortable as possible, etc. If she didn't know the person this conversation would have lasted longer. With all of the media attention this case got I would think someone would remember seeing her get in a vehicle and getting a ride. Someone a while back posted a comment about a girl that was abducted near St.Louis a couple of years ago. She was abducted during the day in front of a Target store and it was captured on camera. I googled and found the video. The abduction occurred in a matter of 10-15 seconds and no one saw a thing. They were able to find the perp and convict him because of the video.

BBM

I was watching episodes of Disappeared yesterday & she (Kelsey Smith) was featured in the episode about Kara Kopetsky. Watching that Target surveillance video of Kelsey Smith being abducted reminded me just how quickly someone can take someone else.

 

[Farmhand]

BBM

I was watching episodes of Disappeared yesterday & she (Kelsey Smith) was featured in the episode about Kara Kopetsky. Watching that Target surveillance video of Kelsey Smith being abducted reminded me just how quickly someone can take someone else.

OK Yes it was Kelsey Smith and it was in Kansas City area rather than St. Louis, my mistake. The video is very grainy and of poor quality and yes it happened very quickly. I got the feeling from the things I just read the guy must have followed her to the Target store and then followed her around in the store until she left. It makes me wonder if BD wasn't stalked. People always mentioned how quickly she disappeared after she left the Bluewater Resort. I wonder if someone didn't follow her there and waited and then she happened to leave after a short period of time (10 minutes) at the Bluewater Resort.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

I know I have mentioned this probably more than once on BD's threads, but when I think about how fast someone can be abducted off the street, it always takes me back to something that happened the very first time I went to MB. It was a much different world back in 1968, and my BF and her family had invited me to go along with them on their one-week vacation to MB. This was a trip they apparently had taken as a family for a good many years. Anyway, I remember the hotel where we stayed was probably close to a mile away from the souvenier shopping area, amusement park, etc. My friend and I would end up walking there (we were about 14 years old) several times a day. It was in August and I mean it was soooo hot. So this one trip we were tired and sort of walking slowly. This car (older model sort of teal colored) pulled up to the curb, right there in broad daylight, with a lot of traffic flowing by. This man calls to us and we walked over to the car and he starts asking us if we knew where such and such street is, and I noticed he was fiddling with his belt while he was talking. Then it hit me he was going to expose himself to us. I screamed run, but my friend did not realize at first what was happening and she saw what he did while trying to think of the name of the street he mentioned. We held onto each other and ran the rest of the way back to the hotel. I did not remember if her parents called the police, but I was recently talking to my friend on the phone and she says she remembers her dad called the police and gave them a description but they did not come out to the hotel or interview us. That was my first trip to MB and I fell in love with it really. (Probably did not think about what happened again for many years). It has now been a family tradition for us to go there. Last time I was there, was actually in March 2010. Me and DH were on our way back home from a visit we made to my same BF's home who now lives in FL with her husband. Anyway, it was sort of deserted and although we had a very nice hotel, it was hard for me to have a good time because I kept thinking of BD and where she could be. We only stayed the one night and then it was back on the road to come home.

Sorry for rambling here.

 

[AnonymousD]

OK Yes it was Kelsey Smith and it was in Kansas City area rather than St. Louis, my mistake. The video is very grainy and of poor quality and yes it happened very quickly. I got the feeling from the things I just read the guy must have followed her to the Target store and then followed her around in the store until she left. It makes me wonder if BD wasn't stalked. People always mentioned how quickly she disappeared after she left the Bluewater Resort. I wonder if someone didn't follow her there and waited and then she happened to leave after a short period of time (10 minutes) at the Bluewater Resort.

BBM

Yes, he did follow Kelsey in the store. They showed the surveillance video from inside the store. He was always just a few steps behind her.

Very good point, Farmhand, about how Brittanee could've been taken just as quickly.

 

[carbuff]

BBM

Yes, he did follow Kelsey in the store. They showed the surveillance video from inside the store. He was always just a few steps behind her.

Very good point, Farmhand, about how Brittanee could've been taken just as quickly.

That also fits with the behavior that's been reported for Israel Keyes. He's said to have spent several days picking out his victims and devising the plan of attack.

 

[Christina691]

BBM

I respectfully disagree. The RSO isn't going to get out of his car and throw her in on a busy street without someone noticing. JMO

That's why I feel it's far more likely that she knew the person she got into the car with. JMO

Yes, and that's the reason I'm still very uncertain that it was a RSO. The traffic is so dense all the time in the same area around the Bar Harbor motel- There's the amusement park practically across the street, and there are a lot of souvenir shops and beachside restaurants.. People are walking around everywhere and all the traffic is nearly dead stopped. It look us close to 15 minutes to get back down to our hotel (driving). It is well-lit, and there are cops everywhere down on that side of the strip. BW resort area has much less traffic and more empty parking lots and isn't lit as well at night time. There is still a good amount of traffic though, so I do agree on the fact it would be challenging to abduct someone without being seen.

But then I start thinking of how Peter said she declined the offer for a ride back to her hotel, so I don't know why she would accept a ride from someone else if she was "fine with walking back alone". If it's not a RSO, my next guess is it's someone she met while she was there. She's obviously too trusting considering the fact she asked a random guy to walk her back to her hotel the night before. Maybe the Rochester kids saw Brittanee hanging out with someone in the days prior but they aren't saying because they don't want to be involved? I don't know, it's just bizarre.
Dawn said LE estimates Brittanee probably didn't make it out of the parking lot. Okay, there are balconies for certain rooms there that over look the parking lot and some of the strip itself. It was still light outside when she left. If she didn't make it out of the parking lot, none of the other guests staying there witnessed anything happen??

 

[Farmhand]

I agree. I believe it is more likely that RM is a more plasuable suspect BUT if the "friends" truly had NOTHING to do with it then why are they so secretive and not more fourth coming with info? I am sorry i am not that much older then these kids and I know i would rather be accused of experimenting with drugs or something along those lines, then have the world think i was involved in a girls dissaperance. Why would they not admit to the lesser crime if they were truly not involved then what would it matter if there was some drug use,underage drinking, ect....Just my thoughts on that, Furthermore if they were not truly her friends and only acquaintes why ask Britt to go in the first place? I know when i was 18-21 i wouldnt have wanted a 17 year old tagging along if i was planning on going to party it up ..to many risk as far as not being able to get in clubs do to age..which brings me to my next point they obviously did go to clubs how did Britt get in? do they not check I.D.'S or did she have a fake one if so who did the fake id belong to?

I would guess a lot of these clubs in MB are trying to make as much money as possible during spring break and would probably let anybody in the door.

 

[Farmhand]

Yes, and that's the reason I'm still very uncertain that it was a RSO. The traffic is so dense all the time in the same area around the Bar Harbor motel- There's the amusement park practically across the street, and there are a lot of souvenir shops and beachside restaurants.. People are walking around everywhere and all the traffic is nearly dead stopped. It look us close to 15 minutes to get back down to our hotel (driving). It is well-lit, and there are cops everywhere down on that side of the strip. BW resort area has much less traffic and more empty parking lots and isn't lit as well at night time. There is still a good amount of traffic though, so I do agree on the fact it would be challenging to abduct someone without being seen.

But then I start thinking of how Peter said she declined the offer for a ride back to her hotel, so I don't know why she would accept a ride from someone else if she was "fine with walking back alone". If it's not a RSO, my next guess is it's someone she met while she was there. She's obviously too trusting considering the fact she asked a random guy to walk her back to her hotel the night before. Maybe the Rochester kids saw Brittanee hanging out with someone in the days prior but they aren't saying because they don't want to be involved? I don't know, it's just bizarre.
Dawn said LE estimates Brittanee probably didn't make it out of the parking lot. Okay, there are balconies for certain rooms there that over look the parking lot and some of the strip itself. It was still light outside when she left. If she didn't make it out of the parking lot, none of the other guests staying there witnessed anything happen??

If BD did accept a ride I could see BD accepting a ride from someone close to her own age rather than a much older, creepy looking RM.

 

[Coffeelover]

I just have to wonder if she did drugs or something with friends and OD'd and they covered it up. It's not exactly the same situation but twice in the past two years, in my upper-middle class suburban city, have HS seniors done harder drugs than they were apparently used to, and in each case one of the friends started to OD and in both cases instead of calling 911, the kids bolted and left both to die (which they did). Word in the HS, where two of my kids go, is that letting the friend die was preferable to getting into major trouble. In both cases the kids are refusing to cooperate in any investigation, many won't even admit they were there. But instead of offering any sort of immunity to kids that do talk, the police and parents (of one of the victims) is demanding harsher punishments for when the truth is revealed. It's been two years and nothing has been revealed. Recently a kid was found with a bong in his car in the school parking lot and now he has lost his huge scholarship to college. Kids are afraid of getting into trouble at all costs.

As a frequent vacationer in MB I think it's unlikely that someone could be abducted right on the main strip. Not impossible but unlikely.

 

[Christina691]

I would guess a lot of these clubs in MB are trying to make as much money as possible during spring break and would probably let anybody in the door.

Definitely! Especially during Spring Break or peak season. Club Kryptonite would have never carded her upon entrance mainly because 1) they just don't care, it is all about the money, and 2) she looks older than 17, IMO. If I didn't know any different, I would think she's between 19-21. This could potentially be one of the many negating factors that led to the club being shut down. It wasn't just Brittanee, they've been doing the same shady business for years now.

IMO, I don't think drugs were involved (voluntarily). MBPD has said they had no indication that she did a lot of drinking while there & didn't participate in any drug activity. If the friends are lying & somehow slipped her some drugs & she had a bad reaction, or even worse overdosed, there would still be so many unanswered questions. I know all of their stories & attitudes and general actions speak louder than words, but I think if this was the case, LE would be putting forth a greater effort to talk with or question them. It's like they talked to them a few times while they were all still in Myrtle Beach, but then they let them go back home to Rochester and forget anything ever happened. They 'cleared' Peter so quickly of any wrong doing to their knowledge.. Even though to us it may seem like they all have holes in their stories.

I'm wondering if while she was walking back maybe she saw another young guy her age (just like the night before) and asked him to walk her back to the hotel, but maybe instead he somehow talked her into giving her a ride? I know it's a long shot. This theory would still leave questions, though. I've thought someone local was involved because of her cell phone pings in Georgetown and how isolated that area is. I'm pretty sure 99% of these kids on Spring Break have no idea of where Pole Yard Boat Landing is unless they're from around the area or are frequent visitors to Myrtle Beach & know the whereabouts of Pole Yard/Georgetown. It could explain the delay in her case.. I mean, thousands of kids are there every year for Spring Break, I'm sure it would be extremely difficult to randomly hand pick a few that may be familiar with the area without any solid leads coming in. If this person was someone she felt safe or comfortable with that offered her a ride, this would explain why no one saw anything or why no one saw a traditional stranger abduction take place.

 

[Farmhand]

Let us hope in 2013 that this case is resolved. It seemed like in 2011 the case was picking up steam but it 2012 things got real quiet. Maybe something is brewing. Here's to 2013.

 

[Christina691]

Brittanee's episode of Disappeared will be airing at 5:00 today again on the OWN network if anyone wants to watch!

 

[Christina691]

Is it just me or on that traffic camera footage, does it look like she's walking kind of fast? It's hard to judge because of the low quality and still frames. This makes me wonder if she was in a rush to go somewhere, and if she was, for what reason?
I never realized how desolate Georgetown was.. all of the dirt roads and abandoned properties with the swamps and alligators. During this whole ordeal, her phone pinged in 3 separate counties- that's a ton of resources that are made available for the search. Helicopters, sonar boats, cadaver dogs, and yet they are still unable to find her!

 

[momrids6]

Is it just me or on that traffic camera footage, does it look like she's walking kind of fast? It's hard to judge because of the low quality and still frames. This makes me wonder if she was in a rush to go somewhere, and if she was, for what reason?
I never realized how desolate Georgetown was.. all of the dirt roads and abandoned properties with the swamps and alligators. During this whole ordeal, her phone pinged in 3 separate counties- that's a ton of resources that are made available for the search. Helicopters, sonar boats, cadaver dogs, and yet they are still unable to find her!

Re: swamps, animals

We had an older woman who ended up deceased down the road. The animals obliterated any hope of finding cause of death- and she was found within a day or two of being reported missing. I can't imagine there would be much to find after a certain amount of time.

Walking: she may have been walking quickly if the girl who wanted her shorts back was angry or she was not particularly comfortable walking down the road.

 

[AnonymousD]

Is it just me or on that traffic camera footage, does it look like she's walking kind of fast? It's hard to judge because of the low quality and still frames. This makes me wonder if she was in a rush to go somewhere, and if she was, for what reason?
I never realized how desolate Georgetown was.. all of the dirt roads and abandoned properties with the swamps and alligators. During this whole ordeal, her phone pinged in 3 separate counties- that's a ton of resources that are made available for the search. Helicopters, sonar boats, cadaver dogs, and yet they are still unable to find her!

BBM

I thought she looked like she was walking fast, also. I attributed it to the FPS (frames per second) being so low. Which also begged the question in my mind, "why did MB invest in such low quality cameras?"

I'm glad someone else felt like BD was walking fast in that video. I'd love to see another view of that video, in whatever full form there was. IIRC, there was a block missing a camera & that's when BD disappeared. Someone either got really lucky, or they knew where the cameras were.

 

[Farmhand]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kkMglrcK1J4#!

At :43 to :48 of this video it shows Brittanee walking south on Ocean Boulevard. You will notice the video is taken from across the street and from above. If you look close enough there is a knee or shin high cement wall to her left. In front of the camera is a stop sign and the bottom half of a Super 8 hotel sign. I made a street view of the Quality Inn and Suites and the Super 8 hotel which shows the camera on the 2nd floor on the ledge of a balcony of the Quality Inn and Suites near the palm tree. You might need to move the map around a bit to get a better look at the shape of the Super 8 sign and then compare it to the video.

super 8 1100 south ocean boulevard myrtle beach sc - Google Maps

BBM

I thought she looked like she was walking fast, also. I attributed it to the FPS (frames per second) being so low. Which also begged the question in my mind, "why did MB invest in such low quality cameras?"

I'm glad someone else felt like BD was walking fast in that video. I'd love to see another view of that video, in whatever full form there was. IIRC, there was a block missing a camera & that's when BD disappeared. Someone either got really lucky, or they knew where the cameras were.

I'm not very good at this linking stuff and I hope they are still working. I think the camera that recorded the video belongs to the hotel and not LE and is used for security purposes and it just happened to record BD walking down the street. You will notice in the street view on Google maps posted above there is a second camera located about 8 feet above ground on the Quality Inn and Suites sign. This camera appears to be pointed directly down at the intersection between the Super 8 and the Quality Inn and Suites. The camera that recorded BD is on the second floor near the palm tree. If the Super 8 sign wasn't in the way there might have been a possibility she would have been recorded on her way back to the hotel. My general feeling is that she was a couple blocks south of this intersection when she disappeared so she was most likely out of view no matter what. I know this is the location of the camera by comparing objects in the YouTube video to objects in the street view on Google Maps such as the stop sign, the manhole cover next to the stop sign and the rectangular-shaped object that has bushes planted in it below the Super 8 sign. I would also agree the person or persons probably knew where the camera was located and most likely is very familiar with MB.

 

[carbuff]

Yeah, I would also vote that whoever it was knew where the camera blind spots were.

 

[justagirl247]

she did seem to be walking fast on the video and i still just cant believe there isnt more surveillance in that area