TX TX - Brandon Lawson, 26, San Angelo, 8 Aug 2013 - #1

[Psychic Sleuth]

He moved to San Angelo from Fort Worth so I've seen it mentioned that he was probably heading to Fort Worth. Ladessa said he did call his Father before leaving and I'm pretty sure his Father lives in the Fort Worth area. Ladessa moved back to the area to be near his family and hers IIRC.

Yes I've read the rumors that he was high on meth. That's just rumors although I can't rule that out completely given his history with drugs. Warrant was for possession of drugs and distribution according to the Observer article I read.

I also read some about the Walmart thing, but again just rumor as far as I can tell.

I also read that he's in the Forth Worth area, alive and well. Again, just rumor. I don't think Ladessa would be doing all she is if that were true though, unless she is unaware or there's a a much bigger plot involved.

 

[SavetheQueen]

I also read that he's in the Forth Worth area, alive and well. Again, just rumor. I don't think Ladessa would be doing all she is if that were true though, unless she is unaware or there's a a much bigger plot involved.

I am just thrown by why law enforcement won't take this further. I perhaps can see some issues with local law enforcement pushing it aside for whatever reason (although I don't know why they would), but the Rangers? There have to be substantial reasons for them to not appear interested in this case. It's going to be very enlightening to see how this plays out.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

They've done some pretty extensive searching. I posted a map of the search area. I don't know how much more they can do honestly.

 

[nannymo]

One more thought...it seems like he came upon someone doing something bad or maybe illegal. Could he have said SCRAPPER?

Scrapper's are those who buy and recycle things like copper and scrap metals. I know copper brings high $$ and many scrapper's go out at night and steal it from farmers. Is that possible? (a scrapper can also be used to define someone who fights)

I think it sounds more like SCRAPER but SCRAPPER might make sense too. I wonder if farmers have been having problems with this out in that area? There's also a possibility that he started talking to said SCRAPPER'S and the farmer/land owner came after them all and thought he was involved?

That is a very good idea, but there is absolutely nothing to steal there. It is pasture. Mesquite trees and cactus and not much grass. Look at the pictures posted in this thread. Even the road side park is concrete picnic table and a trash can. I don't know....I'm from the area and I can't understand what he is saying either. Wish we had a better tape.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

That is a very good idea, but there is absolutely nothing to steal there. It is pasture. Mesquite trees and cactus and not much grass. Look at the pictures posted in this thread. Even the road side park is concrete picnic table and a trash can. I don't know....I'm from the area and I can't understand what he is saying either. Wish we had a better tape.

I was looking at the land closer yesterday once I finally figured out where the rest area/truck was found. Not much out there you are right. There are scattered houses. A/C units are a big target for scrappers and I was reading reports that during the summer months theft of them was huge. They are worth a lot for their scrap metal value.

There are just too many conflicting stories for me to come to any conclusions. It was reported that Brandon was hiding in the bushes watching the deputy search his truck, he was 10 minutes up the road bleeding, in the 911 call he was in a field and needed the cops.

Was he hiding from the cops or needing the cops? If he was communicating with his brother and his GF after he called 911 and he knew the deputy was at his truck why didn't he tell them to tell the deputy THAT WAS THERE AT THE TRUCK that he needed help? It makes no sense at all. He called 911 asking for the cops then when the cops arrive he's hiding from them?

Something is amiss in the story.

 

[poppygirl]

I was looking at the land closer yesterday once I finally figured out where the rest area/truck was found. Not much out there you are right. There are scattered houses. A/C units are a big target for scrappers and I was reading reports that during the summer months theft of them was huge. They are worth a lot for their scrap metal value.

There are just too many conflicting stories for me to come to any conclusions. It was reported that Brandon was hiding in the bushes watching the deputy search his truck, he was 10 minutes up the road bleeding, in the 911 call he was in a field and needed the cops.

Was he hiding from the cops or needing the cops? If he was communicating with his brother and his GF after he called 911 and he knew the deputy was at his truck why didn't he tell them to tell the deputy THAT WAS THERE AT THE TRUCK that he needed help? It makes no sense at all. He called 911 asking for the cops then when the cops arrive he's hiding from them?

Something is amiss in the story.

He might have tried to...the cell reception was poor and based on the 911 call we heard, Brandon was hard to understand.

I agree...lots of conflicting information. I wish there was more media attention. Maybe then we could get a little more clarity?

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

OR....Did Kyle and his GF just ASSUME Brandon was hiding from the cops due to the warrant and didn't realize he was in trouble until they found out about the 911 call? When did Ladessa find out about the 911 call?

I find it interesting that the first reports about the 911 call were that Brandon HIT someone. His words were that he RAN INTO someone not that he HIT THEM. Those words sure got twisted. I believe he meant he "ran into" as in you or I would "run into" an old friend from High School at the grocery store.

I spent a lot of time looking at the map yesterday. 10 minutes up the road walking would put him in an area that had less trees and more clearing. Is that what he would call a field? I also noticed that there is a dirt path all along the highway (that is visible on the map) until you get to about 10 minutes up the road.

If there was someone on the highway 10 minutes up the road surely the deputies would have seen them. I read Deputy Neal came from Bronte when responding to the call so he would have drove right past them (if they were still in the area). If not, they had left prior to Brandon telling his brother he was 10 minutes up the road. Deputy Fox then searched north of the truck on Hwy 277 and as far as we know saw nothing. Deputy Neal searched to the south and again nothing.

My other thought is when he said 10 minutes up the road are we sure he meant Hwy 277? He could have been 10 minutes up a dirt road or a driveway or another road.

 

[nannymo]

From the Observer facebook page:

Phone records revealed the missing man, Brandon Lawson, was speaking to his brother, Kyle Lawson, just after 1 am. During subsequent interviews with Kyle Lawson, he revealed he had been on the phone with his brother, Brandon, when Deputy Neal arrived at the disabled vehicle and was hiding in the brush watching Deputy Neal inspect his truck.

Someone is not telling the story correctly. I agree Psychic Sleuth. Why would Brandon call 911 at 12:50, talk to Kyle AND his g/f within 15-20 minutes of that 911 call and never mention he was in trouble?

I have listened to the 911 call several times. In the beginning I hear him say: In fact WE pushed some guys over....one car is still here....one guy took to the woods (meaning he ran from him)....I have the first guy here (I think he is sitting on him or detaining him and this is the guy who says "Yes" to needing an ambulance! It definitely is not Brandon's voice that says yes. I am a born and raised Texan from this part of Texas. I am understanding almost all of his conversation when I listen over and over. Brandon is scared or paranoid (may or may not be using drugs) (someone may or may not have been chasing him).

I believe if he is not under the influence of drugs and having a paranoid incident, there was more than one person there besides Brandon, he had one of them at 12:50, but what happened after that is a mystery. He spoke to his bro after that with no mention of an altercation, except he was bleeding (which could have come from climbing through a barbed wire fence).

And how did he get 10 minutes up the road if he was at his truck at 1:00???

About the cars and hello on the 911 tape....I hear a car drive by when the 911 operator says hello. BUT!!! I think all three hello's and the car driving by sound exactly the same. JMO on that tho.

Another question....the Observer facebook article says Kyle was seen after 7AM buying gas at the Stripes and the truck was not towed until 8AM. What was Kyle doing from 1AM until 7AM and where did he get the money to buy the gas??

From that article:
Due to the potential traffic hazard the abandoned vehicle posed, Deputy Neal chose to have it towed. At approximately 8:30 am Friday morning, Best Connection arrived at the abandoned vehicle on Highway 277 and towed it to their facility.
Sometime after 7 am Friday morning, Kyle Lawson purchased gas in a gas can from Stripes. The empty gas can was found in the back of the abandoned vehicle.

BBM

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

From the Observer facebook page:

Phone records revealed the missing man, Brandon Lawson, was speaking to his brother, Kyle Lawson, just after 1 am. During subsequent interviews with Kyle Lawson, he revealed he had been on the phone with his brother, Brandon, when Deputy Neal arrived at the disabled vehicle and was hiding in the brush watching Deputy Neal inspect his truck.

Someone is not telling the story correctly. I agree Psychic Sleuth. Why would Brandon call 911 at 12:50, talk to Kyle AND his g/f within 15-20 minutes of that 911 call and never mention he was in trouble?

I have listened to the 911 call several times. In the beginning I hear him say: In fact WE pushed some guys over....one car is still here....one guy took to the woods (meaning he ran from him)....I have the first guy here (I think he is sitting on him or detaining him and this is the guy who says "Yes" to needing an ambulance! It definitely is not Brandon's voice that says yes. I am a born and raised Texan from this part of Texas. I am understanding almost all of his conversation when I listen over and over. Brandon is scared or paranoid (may or may not be using drugs) (someone may or may not have been chasing him).

I believe if he is not under the influence of drugs and having a paranoid incident, there was more than one person there besides Brandon, he had one of them at 12:50, but what happened after that is a mystery. He spoke to his bro after that with no mention of an altercation, except he was bleeding (which could have come from climbing through a barbed wire fence).

And how did he get 10 minutes up the road if he was at his truck at 1:00???

About the cars and hello on the 911 tape....I hear a car drive by when the 911 operator says hello. BUT!!! I think all three hello's and the car driving by sound exactly the same. JMO on that tho.

Another question....the Observer facebook article says Kyle was seen after 7AM buying gas at the Stripes and the truck was not towed until 8AM. What was Kyle doing from 1AM until 7AM and where did he get the money to buy the gas??

From that article:
Due to the potential traffic hazard the abandoned vehicle posed, Deputy Neal chose to have it towed. At approximately 8:30 am Friday morning, Best Connection arrived at the abandoned vehicle on Highway 277 and towed it to their facility.
Sometime after 7 am Friday morning, Kyle Lawson purchased gas in a gas can from Stripes. The empty gas can was found in the back of the abandoned vehicle.

BBM

Confusing yes, but what I read said Kyle had some coworkers come out and help him search up and down the hwy until 4:30am. I read somewhere else that Kyle was waiting for his payroll check the next morning. Perhaps he was on direct deposit and it hit his bank account at 7am? I can't imagine nobody had a few bucks for a gallon of gas. But I guess it's possible.

http://sanangelolive.com/news/2013-09-24/missing-dead-or-run-where-brandon-lawson

Lofton added that Kyle had driven up and down the highway looking for Brandon until 4:30 a.m., and claimed that a few of his co-workers had assisted in the search, however was unable to say whether or not anyone stepped out of the vehicle to search in the brush where Brandon had reported he was hiding.



I don't hear the "in fact we pushed some guys over" but it's so hard to understand that I'm not doubting you. Especially if you are used to his accent.

So are you saying that he said this after the "yes I'm in the middle of a field"? I have wondered if maybe he wasn't alone at the time. Meaning had a passenger in his vehicle.

So how could that make sense? In fact we pushed some guys over? Again, not doubting you just trying to make some sense out of it if that's what he said.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

And if "they" pushed some guys over doesn't it sounds like they were the aggressors so why would he call the cops?

Or maybe he means pushed their car off the road? Another disabled vehicle on the same hwy? Wasn't there mention somewhere of 2 disabled vehicle 911 calls?

Did he try to help them and something went wrong? Again, if there was a car on the side of the highway both Deputy Neal and Deputy Fox would have most likely seen it.

 

[nannymo]

This is how I hear & interpret the 911 tape. It seems pretty clear to me if I just listen to the tape at normal speed. (I am used to listening to a doctor's mumbled speech on a transcription tape...LOL):
911 Operator: 911 Emergency (remember this is a nurse at the local nursing home in Robert Lee!)

BL: Yes...I'm in the middle of a field...In fact, WE just pushed some guys over right here going towards Abilene on both sides. ( I am wondering now if someone could have been pretending to have car trouble and Brandon pulled over to help them. Just brain storming here and it really was a ploy to rob him or something.) My truck ran out of gas. (Maybe while pushing the guys over??) There's one car here and a guy chased me into the woods. Please hurry!

911 Operator: Now run that by me again.. (She doesn't ask his location or name either)

BL: (unintelligible-but something like this) When I was talking to them I ALMOST ran into them. (This is what made them mad and a fight, chase or something started)

911 operator: Oh! You ran into them! (Not Almost but you did)

BL: I've got the first guy

911 Operator: Do you need an ambulance?

The First Guy (I think): Yes!

BL (at the same time): No, I need the cops!

911 operator: Hello, hello, hello I think this part could have been tampered with. I hear a car drive by and I think he's being quiet so they don't hear him, but then what happened to "the first guy"? This part I'm not sure about.

 

[nannymo]

If Brandon says there is one car here, could that possibly mean there were two cars to begin with? Maybe these guys had a problem (real or a set up) back up the highway a bit and Brandon started to help "push these guys over" and while talking to them, almost hit them. Maybe they were planning on robbing him and that is why one guy chased him into the woods. When he called 911, maybe the first guy got away, ran back to the other guys and they all took off. Apparently no one was there 10 minutes later when the sheriff came by.

MOO

 

[nannymo]

BUT!!! If that was the case at 12:50, don't you find it odd that there is no mention of ANY OF THIS from Kyle? Kyle or his g/f one texted or talked to him AFTER THE 911 CALL!

Why hide from the cops when you just called them for help. And there is apparently no one else around.

I would love to know if Stripes in Bronte has a surveillance camera in front of their store. This would show any vehicles coming by there on the way to Abilene or Sweetwater that night.

 

[nannymo]

https://www.facebook.com/ObserverEnterprise

An interesting article on February 20th. It is a letter to the editor and talks about the increase in crime and drug activity in this area. Drugs are always a problem in these rural areas of Texas. It makes for a nice secluded spot to cook meth...cannot be smelled and very few LE around to cover the entire county.

 

[poppygirl]

This is how I hear & interpret the 911 tape. It seems pretty clear to me if I just listen to the tape at normal speed. (I am used to listening to a doctor's mumbled speech on a transcription tape...LOL):
911 Operator: 911 Emergency (remember this is a nurse at the local nursing home in Robert Lee!)

BL: Yes...I'm in the middle of a field...In fact, WE just pushed some guys over right here going towards Abilene on both sides. ( I am wondering now if someone could have been pretending to have car trouble and Brandon pulled over to help them. Just brain storming here and it really was a ploy to rob him or something.) My truck ran out of gas. (Maybe while pushing the guys over??) There's one car here and a guy chased me into the woods. Please hurry!

911 Operator: Now run that by me again.. (She doesn't ask his location or name either)

BL: (unintelligible-but something like this) When I was talking to them I ALMOST ran into them. (This is what made them mad and a fight, chase or something started)

911 operator: Oh! You ran into them! (Not Almost but you did)

BL: I've got the first guy

911 Operator: Do you need an ambulance?

The First Guy (I think): Yes!

BL (at the same time): No, I need the cops!

911 operator: Hello, hello, hello I think this part could have been tampered with. I hear a car drive by and I think he's being quiet so they don't hear him, but then what happened to "the first guy"? This part I'm not sure about.

Very interesting take on the call!

 

[Mrs.g]

Bump.

 

[ontheclock]

From the Observer facebook page:

Phone records revealed the missing man, Brandon Lawson, was speaking to his brother, Kyle Lawson, just after 1 am. During subsequent interviews with Kyle Lawson, he revealed he had been on the phone with his brother, Brandon, when Deputy Neal arrived at the disabled vehicle and was hiding in the brush watching Deputy Neal inspect his truck.

Someone is not telling the story correctly.

Snipped for space. This is where everything turns sketchy. He was hiding in the bushes?? And this is confirmed by his brother? He called 911, and he hid when they came? I can understand not wanting to be confronted with the law if you thought everything would be okay, but what happened after that?

 

[PPKik]

Snipped for space. This is where everything turns sketchy. He was hiding in the bushes?? And this is confirmed by his brother? He called 911, and he hid when they came? I can understand not wanting to be confronted with the law if you thought everything would be okay, but what happened after that?

Exactly. That's what I want to know too.

And has anyone on here, or in the family, asked this question:

For decades 9-1-1 operators have been able to call back a 9-1-1 hang ups, or anything that was sketchy from a 9-1-1 call. This call was obviously screwed up, unintelligible for the most part, information like name and approximate location were missing, BL needed a cop (we can hear that), yet did this 9-1-1 operator try to call him back?

Wouldn't that be automatic and if not automatic, at least 9-1-1 protocol for an interrupted call for help that was not completed to be followed up on?

Did this operator, dispatcher, or nurse overseeing the emergency call center, make any attempt to call BL back to try to help him by getting a location, at least, and if not, what does that say?

 

[techpuppy]

I have to agree that I don't think the entire 911 call is online. I don't hear the disconnect of the cell phone at the end.

As far as the "cars going past" at the end: That's not what you are hearing. It is some form of AGC kicking in during silences. It is bringing up the volume of the recording to try to catch any low level audio. As soon as the 911 operator says something the level resets back down. On the waveform you can see the background noise build in volume until the operator speaks. (Indicated by the red arrows I added).

Regarding the "yes" response followed by the "No I need the cops". I don't think it's a second person, but the "Yes" or "yeah" is at a lower volume than anything else said in the 911 recording. I have a waveform of that section, but I can't seem to add it to this post.

 

[Psychic Sleuth]

I've been reading all over and listening to the recording over and over. I have come to the conclusion that Kyle ASSUMED Brandon was hiding due to the warrant so he was initially not concerned. The communication between Kyle/his GF and Brandon once they arrived at the truck was sketchy due to cell service. Has anyone gone out there with a cell phone who has the same provider as Brandon to see where cell phone service is good or bad? I wonder if Kyle/his GF have a different provider? It could have been their provider that was the problem.

When he said he was 10 minutes up the road I wonder if he meant walk time or drive time. 10 minutes drive time would put him past Bronte just about where the road splits to go to Abilene. 10 minutes walk time would put him just about where the tree lined hwy thins out.

Ladessa and the PI (I believe) have just received more detailed ping information from the cell phone provider. Best I can tell the last ping was about 3 miles from the truck location. No detail was given to what direction, but if North on hwy 277 that would be right as you're entering Bronte. I wonder if after Brandon called Kyle for gas someone came a long and gave him a ride and that's where things went bad? Maybe HE is saying that HE escaped a vehicle? That is not what I hear, but brainstorming. I've listened over and over to this recording. I wish I had the original file so I could break it down word for word in my audio editing program. But the best I can hear after he says "yes I'm in a field" is

A zypher/sipher/cypher/scaper/zipher/zepher pulled some guys over. Can anyone think of a car with a similar name? There is a Lincoln ZEPHER.

I've been googling everything I can think of. I did find this in the urban dictionary. I don't know if there would be any gang members out in that area or that Brandon would know the term. Just a thought although probably unlikely.

cypher. a circle in which gang members form to conduct meetings and or sometimes to do drugs such as weed. form a cypher to start the meeting.

Another thought is does he know anyone with a similar sounding name? Is it possible that Brandon had a passenger on the hwy when he ran out of gas?

Like perhaps he said

yeah Schaefer pulled some guys over?