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

[believe09]

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

Welcome, FC, and thank you for the post on my profile. Are you an advocate for Tiffany or family??

 

[MissieMt]

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.

I'm confused, have the detectives found her dead? I'm gonna go read the other thread linked, because I only vaguely remember reading about Melissa.

Also, if there is a young lady who is convinced she is Melissa she should not need donations for a dna test. LE would do it for free, if they feel her claims are legit.

 

[dearmont]

Melissa's remains have never been found.

 

[JaneInOz]

I'm confused, have the detectives found her dead? I'm gonna go read the other thread linked, because I only vaguely remember reading about Melissa.

Also, if there is a young lady who is convinced she is Melissa she should not need donations for a dna test. LE would do it for free, if they feel her claims are legit.

Then she should go to LE

Im confused though. I read about the person who went to jail for her disappearance

I am confused as to how they were able to charge him ? and sentence him to 50 years ?

There was no evidence of Melissa's Dna blood etc just some rabbit hair and coat fibers.

But yet there are OTHER 's out there I can think of one involved in the Renee Petrice Disappearance who there is strong evidence guns blood and other things that are still walking around free as a bird

Then there is that exCop that has many dead wives....

I don't get it I don't get the law at times !

 

[dearmont]

Great prosecutor, not so great defense. I'm sure there is more to the evidence than reported on the Internet. I'm interested in the possible link to Caleb Hughs in other murder cases in VA.

 

[believe09]

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

I read the facebook, and I guess I am not overwhelmingly convinced. Does Tiffany have a birth certificate? It says that her father visited her around the holidays....did he say whether or not he was around for her birth or if she was adopted? I am so confused....:waitasec:

 

[JaneInOz]

Great prosecutor, not so great defense. I'm sure there is more to the evidence than reported on the Internet. I'm interested in the possible link to Caleb Hughs in other murder cases in VA.

Oooh Like which ones ?
Hes supposed to be getting out in 2010 what happened to 50 years ?

 

[dearmont]

Oooh Like which ones ?
Hes supposed to be getting out in 2010 what happened to 50 years ?

Colonial Hwy Murders - 1988-1989

 

[believe09]

Oooh Like which ones ?
Hes supposed to be getting out in 2010 what happened to 50 years ?

The website I checked said 2018?? Sleuthing is SO not my strongpoint, lol...

 

[christine2448]

Reading, thinkin, hinkey meter is way to the right, FWIW.

 

[believe09]

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 ??

We can get Melissa's mom a kit for free-the candidate's DNA would only be sponsored if LE thought it was a compelling match.

 

[christine2448]

I am so confused after reading everything today. Why not test bio mom and supposed bio daughter? 1st step...if she is NOT bio daughter...what if she is??? Has that first step been taken? If this child is bio child, case closed. This, IMO, needs to be determined first. If she is not 'moms' child, then we have something to sleuth. JMO, FWIW.

 

[STEADFAST]

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 don't understand what "loopholes to go through" means. Why exactly is it that Melissa's mother won't get the DNA now?

 

[dearmont]

I am so confused after reading everything today. Why not test bio mom and supposed bio daughter? 1st step...if she is NOT bio daughter...what if she is??? Has that first step been taken? If this child is bio child, case closed. This, IMO, needs to be determined first. If she is not 'moms' child, then we have something to sleuth. JMO, FWIW.

Quite agree.

Quote: "...According to Alexis, the agents gave her a contact card and left, but she never called them..." If the FBI took the time to pay a visit to this person and if they felt there was a compelling reason to think she was Melissa, do you think they would have just walked away from it?:waitasec:

 

[chaddylex]

I just viewed the girls facebook page that thinks she could be Melissa Brannen. What a crazy, sad story. Everyone should take a look at the page. I can't imagine not knowing my past and childhood. Hopefully she will find out the truth soon.

 

[JaneInOz]

The website I checked said 2018?? Sleuthing is SO not my strongpoint, lol...

The facebook link said he could be released in 2010

ALSO the Charley Project said that too

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

Could be released as early as 2010

Dearmont thanks for that - hmm hway murders do you have a link or is it there if I google ?
cheers

Christine ? why is your hinky meter going off ? scam?

 

[dearmont]

Dearmont thanks for that - hmm hway murders do you have a link or is it there if I google ?
cheers

Christine ? why is your hinky meter going off ? scam?

Sorry - should have posted the link:
http://parkway.crimeshadows.com

It's got some information - not all of it - I don't think all of the murders listed on the site are related - the Liberty Security connection is worth a read. Does anyone know if there has been a thread on these in the past ?

 

[JaneInOz]

Id like to see larger photos of Tiffany to compare

also they should just do the DNA test and then that would be the end of it entirely wouldn't it.
One way or another
If it was my Daughter and the police were happy to do it then why NOT have it done ?

You brace yourself that its probably not but if it turns out it is well gee arent you glad you did/

 

[christine2448]

Quite agree.

Quote: "...According to Alexis, the agents gave her a contact card and left, but she never called them..." If the FBI took the time to pay a visit to this person and if they felt there was a compelling reason to think she was Melissa, do you think they would have just walked away from it?:waitasec:

Yes DM...From what I have read, FBI has been involved, extensively, unless I MU, and FBI/so many LE contacted, no reaction...time after time, interview after interview, of all involved, and no progress??? WHY? You'd think they want to have a solved case. This honestly, has me spinning. Why are they sure it's not her? That's what I want to know. Why each time they back off.

 

[believe09]

Id like to see larger photos of Tiffany to compare

also they should just do the DNA test and then that would be the end of it entirely wouldn't it.
One way or another
If it was my Daughter and the police were happy to do it then why NOT have it done ?

You brace yourself that its probably not but if it turns out it is well gee arent you glad you did/

I don't know that this is a fair statement, respectfully speaking. How about if we imagine what it must be like to have your 6 year old taken from you in an instant and to then go through a trial etc that indicates she was likely murdered and disposed of by the man who sat next to her during dinner? Fast forward a decade later and there is yet another person contacting you claiming that they are Melissa. How many times do you get your hopes up and pray that the FBI were WRONG and in fact the creepy perp who took your child sold or gave her to someone else because at least she would be alive? We have NO IDEA what it is like to walk in Melissa's mother's shoes-we have no idea if there was already DNA taken from her parents since the FBI must have compared the evidence found in the vehicle to something well enough to know it was not from Melissa. JMO.

Regarding whether or not the candidate posted on the facebook was adopted-two things stand out to me
(Quote from someone who sheltered the candidate as a teenager as written on the facebook account)

"I initially think Tiffany might be Stasi as both have a mole on the left side of her chin. I printed out the poster of Stasi and went to the State Bureau of Vital Records and told the women at the counter the situation as I thought it to be and asked if there was a birth certificate for a Tiffany Merrill born 3/25/86 to a Bonnie Merrill. The women at the counter went into the back room and said that there was a birth certificate on file with the State of Maine and that she took it upon herself to check if there was a death certificate and could not find one (death certificate) on file. The finding of the birth certificate really raised the hairs on my neck because if Bonnie gave birth to a daughter named Tiffany Marie Merrill then why was she so lucky that her father found Tiffany for her.."

1.) Tiffany has a mole on the side of her chin-does Melissa?
2.) There is a birth certificate on file in ME for Tiffany that shows a birth mother, and that birth mother was the woman with whom she lived.

The rest is pretty confusing from where I sit....