This case really resonated with me. I feel so bad for her parents. Brittanee made a decision that any teen could have made. She went against her parent's wishes in the name of having some fun and in the end she couldn't call them looking for help in fear of getting in trouble.

I lean towards this being a random act of violence. Maybe it's because Disappeared didn't focus much on the people she was hanging out with or present any kind of motive they might have to harm her. I can see her becoming separated from them and them being oblivious to her safety, especially if they are too busy partying. When I younger I used to hang out in a group of people who went clubbing every weekend. It wasn't unusual for someone to get forgotten or left behind from time to time. I don't think they would have killed her if she disagreed with their drug use, but could have easily shut her out, making her feel miserable. If Myrtle Beach is known a party place for Spring Break-ers, I'm sure there are plenty of predators out there.

I get mad whenever I read comments on this case picking on the poor girl. Yes, she did something stupid; she was a teenager. How many of us made it through those years without doing something incredibly stupid?

I didn't get a bad vibe off the boyfriend. (He was really cute in the pictures, btw). I do agree it was stupid of him to recommend her going down there, but he was under the impression that she would be in with a large group of people and as such, nothing bad would happen to her. The episode says she went down with 4 friends and she knew a lot of people that were down there. It's really sad she ended up being isolated from the group because of their drug usage, but I don't think he had any way of knowing that.

I don't know what to make of the underage drinking being allowed by the bars and nightclubs. I read a lot of cases on the Charley Project about minors going off to buy cigarettes, but perhaps things were more lax back in the day. I can tell you the bars and clubs could be in deep crap if LE found out they were serving minors. Perhaps they produced fake i.d.'s

The swamp mentioned in the segment sounded horrifying. Alligator, huge snake-infested, plus wild hogs and flies the size of golf balls. I certainly hope she didn't meet her end there.

I didn't think much of the videotape of her the night before. It didn't reveal anything of any importance.

I do agree about the clothes though. She was reportedly very interested in fashion and wearing stylish outfits, I doubt she would intentionally leave them behind.

The episode was unclear about what friends she went down there with. Was it Peter Broswick and 3 friends? If so, that would make them look guilty.

Some news on this case:

http://www.wyff4.com/news/news-conference-planned-about-girl-missing-since-2009-trip-to-myrtle-beach/39958768

Some news on this case:

http://www.wyff4.com/news/news-conference-planned-about-girl-missing-since-2009-trip-to-myrtle-beach/39958768

I'm guessing somebody finally talked, wonder if it was one of the "friends".

Human trafficking is kind of a thing in Myrtle Beach, from what I've understood. I don't think its by any means a major hub, but I do think it happens there. You'd be surprised where the trafficking action is, to be quite honest. There are little towns in Montana that are apparently major hubs for this and I had absolutely no clue until someone filled in the blanks for me.

Here's another article about the latest development (http://www.myhorrynews.com/news/crime/article_862f694e-2daa-11e6-9b39-5bfc49f56d02.html). Basically the same info as the first one, but the headline is different.

Suspect/suspects named, but not publicly.

http://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/suspects-identified-in-brittannee-drexel-disappearance

I just attended a legal seminar on human trafficking. The more I learn about it, the more I am convinced Brittaney Drexel was a victim of it.

The FBI thinks Brittanee Drexel, who disappeared from Myrtle Beach seven years ago, was abducted, gang-raped, shot to death and thrown into a alligator-infested swamp in the dense forests near McClellanville.

http://www.postandcourier.com/20160826/160829517/fbi-agent-missing-teen-brittanee-drexel-was-kidnapped-shot-and-dumped-in-alligator-pit

"Looks like they searching for her body

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4347574/FBI-expand-search-Georgetown-county-Drexel-case.html

"Looks like they searching for her body

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4347574/FBI-expand-search-Georgetown-county-Drexel-case.html

If she's been fed to the alligators, I can't imagine they'd find anything. Perhaps they're looking for some of her property? Like the cell phone or clothing? Something that would tie the perps to her...

I just attended a legal seminar on human trafficking. The more I learn about it, the more I am convinced Brittaney Drexel was a victim of it.

Everyone says it was a child porn ring, human trafficking, etc, etc.. And it NEVER IS.

Ok, yes, there have been the rare cases of it. VERY rare. But the 'sex rings' generally just tend to be a way for parents/loved ones to have a thought that the person is still alive. They're generally just fooling themselves.. but.. Hey.. Whatever keeps them going, you know? Hard to hold it against them.

Think this is a pretty common outcome all things told. Who's the one down in the Bahamas that the guy is in jail for killing someone else? I'm sure this is a very similar situation.

Natalee Holloway . I agree with you.

Everyone says it was a child porn ring, human trafficking, etc, etc.. And it NEVER IS.

Ok, yes, there have been the rare cases of it. VERY rare. But the 'sex rings' generally just tend to be a way for parents/loved ones to have a thought that the person is still alive. They're generally just fooling themselves.. but.. Hey.. Whatever keeps them going, you know? Hard to hold it against them.



Think this is a pretty common outcome all things told. Who's the one down in the Bahamas that the guy is in jail for killing someone else? I'm sure this is a very similar situation.

I feel this exact same way about what I now refer to as "The Phantom Drug Dealer theory". It seems like every time a suicide or accident ruling is called into question it's because the deceased stumbled onto and/or interrupted some sort of shady, clandestine drug deal and was murdered by the perpetrator(s) in an effort to keep their drug related activities on the DL. I'm not saying it's never happened before because I'm sure that it has, but it surely can't be the cause of EVERY suspicious death on UM, can it??

I kind of feel as though it's become like the old kitchen "junk drawer"...if it CAN fit in there, it WILL go in there, whether it truly belongs there or not. And please understand, I mean absolutely NO disrespect here to the grief stricken loved ones who have suggested the idea as the reason behind their tragedies. As someone who has suffered the loss of a loved one to suicide, I know first hand how hard it is to find peace and acceptance, especially when there just doesn't seem to be any answers to the many questions that haunt you in the aftermath.

In any case, my heart goes out to Ms. Drexel's friends and family. I truly believe that the love we hold in our hearts for those who are no longer with us is so huge and without end that it will always exist in some form because it can never be crushed, stolen, or defeated.

Dateline's Keith Morrison reports Friday, December 9 at 9/8c on NBC.

bTVCrO0AzfQ