Deceased/Not Found VA - Melissa Brannen, 5, Lorton, 3 Dec 1989 *C. Hughes guilty*

[revlis]

I am in no way implying the Tammy left with Caleb...I was standing with Tammy when Melissa asked to get more potato chips (the chip table was approximately 4 feet away from us) I'm stating that the black rabbit fur from Tammys jacket got into Caleb car by transferring from Melissa.....

I do remember that within 3 minutes Tammy was ready to leave and calling for Melissa...Then when we all started looking we found the utility room window wide open......That put the fear of God in all of us.....We called the police immediately...we were all of 10 minutes from the Mount Vernon Substation...The police were calling Caleb house from their first moments there considering he was gone and he was an employee that Melissa and a few other children were playing with that nite at the party....

Between Calebs house and where the party was on Rt 1 there is the Fairfax County Landfill and that is where ALOT of the searching went on....

I've heard nothing about water or boating regarding caleb, but I did hear that he supposedly had a niece or cousin in N.C or S.C that had disappeared years before when he lived in that area (this could be just rumors though)

I also know that a ladder had been proped (sp) up against the fence in the back of the complex which looked right into Melissas apt.....

I know that the police set up caleb at springfield mall to run into Tammy and when Tammy asked where Melissa was Caleb told her he couldn't tell her cuz he'd be in trouble.....

Richard regarding your ? about the time interval...They suspected Caleb almost immediately and had officers outside of his home when he returned from whereever he was...They were apparently waiting for a search warrent to get his clothing and enter the home....so caleb went in and washed his entire wardrobe that nite..including his belt and shoes...oh and then shoes he took a razor blade to the bottoms before washing them (for whatever reason)?? hope this answers any ?'s.......

Wishing all of you a wonderful day!!!!

 

[Proudmomof2]

Despite what anyone says, Caleb Hughes did not kidnap Melissa.
could you elaborate?


Because I was renting a room at the house where he lived at with his girlfriend/Fiancee and her son. And the whole time afterwards till I moved out of state, there was nothing to indicate that he did it. The things they said he did that sounded unusual in say for instance the late at night laundry, saying that it was wierd and that he did it to cover the crime up. I lived there several months and whenever he did the laundry it was always at night.

 

[Richard]

Despite what anyone says, Caleb Hughes did not kidnap Melissa.
could you elaborate?


Because I was renting a room at the house where he lived at with his girlfriend/Fiancee and her son. And the whole time afterwards till I moved out of state, there was nothing to indicate that he did it. The things they said he did that sounded unusual in say for instance the late at night laundry, saying that it was wierd and that he did it to cover the crime up. I lived there several months and whenever he did the laundry it was always at night.

I don't think that a person washing clothes at night is at all suspicious or unusual, given other circumstances. However, doing the wash of his entire wardrobe, including belts, shoes, etc. IMMEDIATELY after returning home and being confronted by police might be construed by some to be a bit unusual.

The logic could be that he was washing off forensic evidence. Or, perhaps he figured that he would soon be in jail and wouldn't have the chance to launder his clothes. But what are the chances that the police just happened to arrive on wash day?

The fact that Mr. Hughes was one of the last persons to be seen with Melissa, and that he just happened to disappear at the same time she did, would lead any police investigator or rational person to conclude that he just MIGHT have had something to do with her disappearance.

Could there have been another strange person there that night who wanted to abduct her? Possibly, but I think that police spoke with everyone who attended the party. No other suspects were developed or named.

The main questions regarding Mr. Hughes would not be so much about WHETHER he was involved, but TO WHAT EXTENT. Was he working alone, or with/for someone else? Is he simply a pervert who killed Melissa and buried her within a short radius of the apartment complex? Or did he abduct her and pass her off alive to someone else?

Mr. Hughes returned fairly soon to his apartment that night. Of course, he claimed to be completely innocent. But hairs and fibers in his car connected him to Melisa. It would be very interesting to hear his side of the story.

 

[Hootman]

I went to school with Caleb, didn't know him all that well, but profile probably leads to guilty. He was a loner, not a whole lot of friends, kind of an outcast.. Myself and best bud in Roanoke have discussed at length, sad to see, but we agree, he's probably guilty...

Yearbook photos attached...

P.S.

Home Page
​

Department of Corrections

Inmate Status Information System
​

Inmate Record Found:
​

DOC Inmate Number:

173330

Last Name:

Hughes

First Name:

Caleb

Race:

White

Sex:

Male

Virginia DOC Location:

Augusta Correctional Center

Projected Release Date:

02/19/2018

Parole Eligibility Date:

08/31/1998

​

 

[missacorah]

Just watched the programme about this little girl. Heartbreaking. So I hear Caleb Hughes luck 'could change' in 2010 and he could become free? How frightening is that?

 

[meggilyweggily]

I went to school with Caleb, didn't know him all that well, but profile probably leads to guilty. He was a loner, not a whole lot of friends, kind of an outcast..

I don't know about Caleb Hughes, but why would you assume that someone who is a loner is more likely to be a violent criminal? In school I was also a loner and an outcast in the student body -- I had no friends and was bullied so badly that I was left school forever at age 13. And I've never killed anyone. I can't even hit someone in self-defense. The "crazy loner" stereotype is just that, a stereotype.

 

[dougneedham]

I have two questions about the case.

1) does anyone remember how cold it was around that timeframe? Had it been below freezing, or was it just cold.

2) As I recall from seeing this story on CourtTV there was a mileage indicator from his vehicle that indicated he had traveled a certain distance that night. Does anyone recall the details of how far he actually traveled from the apartment complex to his home?

 

[Richard]

I have two questions about the case.

1) does anyone remember how cold it was around that timeframe? Had it been below freezing, or was it just cold.

2) As I recall from seeing this story on CourtTV there was a mileage indicator from his vehicle that indicated he had traveled a certain distance that night. Does anyone recall the details of how far he actually traveled from the apartment complex to his home?

It is interesting that you ask these important questions. I can answer the first one very definitely. It was Really Cold in December 1989 - probably one of the coldest months on record for the Washington DC Metropolitan area. I cannot recall the exact temperature for the day Melissa Brannen disappeared, but that could be obtained from newspaper files of the time.

Normal temperatures in December for the DC area would be in the 40's (Farenheit), but that month there were only a few days when the temperature got above 20 degrees! It snowed early in the month, and that snow stayed on the ground for all of December. A couple of subsequent snows added to it. This is very odd for the area as most snow lasts only about three days before melting.

I remember very clearly how cold it was, because that month I had a new car engine installed in a Pontiac and the installer failed to put anti-freeze in the block. He used only water. The cold was so bad that my car battery required constant charging. The engine block froze and the engine burned itself up while idling in my front yard.

I also recall that I had shot a deer that month and hung it inside my garage. It froze solid overnight and it was not until New Year's day that the temperatures got above freezing and I was able to skin and butcher it. So cold? You bet it was cold in December 1989!

As to your second question, I am afraid that I just cannot recall if any specific milage was mentioned for Caleb Hughes car. I do recall that it was a rather short time between when he and Melissa were last seen at the party, and the time police caught him at his home. Something like a couple of hours, but I do not recall exactly. This would have been enought time to drive maybe 60 miles one way and return. Perhaps it was something like that which was mentioned on the program?

Most of the searching for Melissa took place in and around Lorton, VA. I seem to recall that Hughes lived near the water, or worked near it, and that some of the searching involved water searching. I do not recall that any searching was conducted in DC or in Maryland, although the time frame MIGHT have allowed for Hughes to have transported her to either place. Fibers and hairs found in the trunk of his car was what led investigators to believe that he did it.

 

[dougneedham]

Does anyone know or remember if any searches were done around Occoquan? I have lived in the NoVA area for quite a while, and go to the Occoquan arts show almost every year. I remember hearing about the case and thinking how close Occoquan is to Lorton, someone that knows there way around could easily get to and from the Occoquan bridge and dispose of a body very easily.
Once the water thawed and started running again finding the body would be nearly impossible.

 

[believe09]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/brannen_melissa.html

Wondering if there is any other information on this case floating around out there?

He was convicted on the hair and fiber evidence if the charley project listing is correct. He pulled a whole lot of time so there must be a strong belief that the child was dead?

 

[believe09]

Caleb Hughes may well have murdered Melissa, however, he was never charged with her murder for lack of evidence - specifically lack of a body. As you state, Hughes never admitted to anything. He was considered a suspect from early on in the investigation because he had been seen talking to Melissa at the Christmas Party, and disappeared about the same time she did.

As I recall, police did search him, his apartment, and his vehicle soon after Melissa's disappearance, and then held him in jail on a parole violation of some sort. Something - I think it was fiber evidence - caused LE to believe that Hughes had abducted Melissa. I cannot recall what the time span was between her disappearance and LE apprehending Hughes, but I think it was a matter of a few hours.

I do not think that Melissa's blood was found on his clothing or in his car, because that might have been enough to charge him with murder. Although rare to prosecute a charge of murder without a body, it has been done successfully - as in the case of Maryland convicting Hadden Clark of murdering Michelle Dorr based on trace blood evidence and a lot of circumstantial evidence which fit him. I believe that Virginia Prosecutors would have done the same with even a small amount of Melissa's blood.

There are two main scenarios in regard to this crime and Hughes involvement. The first is - as you point out - that Hughes was acting on his own and that he probably did murder Melissa and hide her body somewhere. He was a grounds keeper and would have known of many possible remote hiding places in the area, and perhaps elsewhere in other places where he may have worked. He had a car, and could have driven some distance and returned before being apprehended by police.

The second scenario is that Hughes may have abducted her for someone else, for money, or a favor, or other consideration. This scenario would seem less likely, but still a possibility.

My bold and italics-do you think he might have sold her?

 

[fallencookies]

Hi every one ,

We have a young lady who thinks she is Melissa Brannen from Lorton, Virginia that went Missing in 1989. you can view the missing person report here
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/brannen_melissa.html


http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43693421663#/group.php?gid=43693421663

 

[MaxMoMom]

Wow - I will never forget this case. I was in highschool when it happened. Caleb Hughes lived in the neighborhood next to mine.

 

[fallencookies]

here is another forum about it here in websleuths
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27649

 

[dearmont]

If this young woman is that determined to find out if she is Melissa Brannan, a DNA test will provide the answer. I don't believe it will be a match however.

 

[JaneInOz]

So in there the family asked if she would be prepared to have a DNA test and she said she would

So why doesnt someone do it

She obviously cant afford to do it.

 

[fallencookies]

The mother of Melissa is refusing the DNA right now. There are loop holes to go through.It isn't about what she can or can't afford because I KNOW that all the people in the facebook group would TOTALLY be willing to help her out finantially if need be to help her find her answers .

Dearmont , can you tell me why you don't think it will be a match ??

 

[fallencookies]

have you been able to visit the facebook group ? Have you seen the pictures?
Did you read everything ,including that she also has the scar on her for arm?
That her mother that raised her told her she was kidnapped , and that is the reason she had to change her name .

 

[fallencookies]

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27649&page=2

 

[dearmont]

The mother of Melissa is refusing the DNA right now. There are loop holes to go through.It isn't about what she can or can't afford because I KNOW that all the people in the facebook group would TOTALLY be willing to help her out finantially if need be to help her find her answers .

Dearmont , can you tell me why you don't think it will be a match ??

I have spoken with investigators in Melissa's disappearance and they are firm in their conclusions that Melissa is deceased. A MITOCHONDRIAL DNA TEST will provide the answer - that can be obtained for as little as $300.00. I would be very cautious of someone asking for financial contributions to do testing. A very big red flag IMO.