>> david: tonight, a teenage daughter goes missing on a secret trip to south carolina. >> deborah: the now fbi investigation to find out what happened. "20/20" starts right now. what do you mean, you can't find her? where is she? >> a mystery for years. now for the first time, exclusive interviews with the investigators who solved it. >> we said, let's look at this thing scientifically. and not focus on any specific individual. >> you're just trying to put

those little pieces together to build some type of a profile of her pattern of behavior. >> at what point did you get a sense she went from walking to being in a car? >> look, my daughter did not run away, i'm telling you. >> her drive to find her daughter kept everybody in the nation interested in what was going on with britiny's case. >> the final ping from brittanee's phone is from an area that is swampy. it's not an area where a 17-year-old girl would be traveling. >> and then the fbi drops a bombshell.

this is a story about a beautiful young woman who goes on spring break to myrtle beach, and her life intersects with a monster. >> she was perfectly fine and in a spot that she should have been safe. >> and then she just vanishes. there's nothing. >> brittanee drexel is walking the strip when, all of a sudden, all communication stops, period, cold. no one will ever hear from her again. ♪ itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again ♪ >> brittanee was vibrant. ♪ grandma got run over by a reindeer ♪ >> her smile was so beautiful. it just lit up the room. when i had brittanee, i was 20. that is kind of still young to have a child, but it brought a lot of joy into my life. >> when brittanee came into our

lives, it was a big surprise, a welcome surprise, but we were very young. >> but when brittanee was about 2 years old, her parents, dawn and john, decided to go their separate ways. >> things just didn't work. we were kids ourselves and lost touch. >> they had separated, and her mom had married chad drexel. they live up in rochester. rochester's upstate new york. >> brittanee had a little sister, myrissa, and she had a little brother, cam. >> that one's brittanee. that's myrissa and camdyn. >> i was the middle child in the siblings. >> i was 12 years apart from brittanee and very close with her, even though i was little. >> oh, my god. she adored him. look at how happy he was. >> she was just always my protector. she was always there to hold us,

to comfort us, to make sure we're always safe anywhere we went. >> we became best friends from day one. she was a very, very kind and just beautiful, beautiful person inside and out. >> i would describe brittanee as a little spitfire. she was little but mighty. she had this like warm personality that everyone gravitated towards. >> she was very energetic, very feisty, especially at soccer. >> powerful. >> especially powerful on the field, even though she was short. >> brittanee played a right winger. she scored 26 goals in one year. she was just a great soccer player. >> turns out it was a trait she might have inherited from her biological dad, john, who came back into her life right when brittanee was about 16 years old. >> i was shocked the first time i've seen her play. it was like, "wow, that's my girl playing soccer right

there." >> she was very excited to have her biological father in her life. >> the first time that i seen her, it was like looking at myself. she was so beautiful and funny. i was just in awe. once i found her again, life kind of came back in me. we just had a lot of time to catch up with. >> in 2009, brittanee is 17 years old. and she reconnected with her biological father. but her stepdad, who raised her, is now separating from her mother. >> during that time, it was rough for us kids as well. >> brittanee did go a little hog wild there, partying and hanging out with a new group of friends. they were all older than her. >> she was just going through a lot, you know. us separating, getting a divorce. and also dealing with normal teenage things with her boyfriend. this photo is of brittanee and

john, i believe when they first started dating. >> john grieco was brittanee's boyfriend, and they had dated for a year or two. it was kind of up and down, break up, make up, you know. but she loved him. >> she wanted to get away, as my parents were separating. >> she had her spring break coming up, and it's cold in rochester, new york. brittanee was very excited to go to myrtle beach. she's like, "i want to go on the beach. i want to have fun in the sun." >> it was that new group of friends, that older crowd, who had invited brittanee to come down to myrtle beach. >> she asked to go down there, and i said, "brittanee, you're not going to myrtle beach." i said, "there's no parental supervision," and i said, "something is going to happen to you." >> she then proceeded to ask my mom, "okay, can i go to a friend's house who lives in rochester, new york, and stay a couple days there while spring break is going on?" and my mom said yes. >> i said, "that's fine, as long as i talk to a parent."

so she put someone on the phone, and i told brittanee to keep in contact with me. >> her mother told her, yes, that was okay, because she knew she was going to be in rochester. >> myrtle beach is a part of the grand strand area. it's miles and miles of beautiful beaches. a lot of people come here to enjoy spending time out in the ocean and on the beach with their families. >> you have beautiful luxury places with pools, and then you have it all the way down to the honky tonk motels that line other parts of the strip. >> late at night, in the certain areas, it can get bad, it can get dangerous. >> that morning, i went with my mom to greece ridge mall. we were buying soccer attire for the soccer season coming up for the summer, and i told my mom, "can we call brittanee? because i don't know what size

she is for soccer cleats." so, she called her. >> i said, "well, what are you doing later?" and she said, "oh, we're just at the beach," because that's what they called lake ontario. and i said, "i will call you when i get home, you know, just to check in." >> then i was like, wait, wait, wait before she got off the phone. i was like, "i forgot to say i love you." so, she gave me the phone, and i said that i love you. and i thank god that i asked my mom to grab the phone back, because that was the last time i talked to her. >> and then brittanee says, "okay, mom. i'll see you tomorrow. i love you." those were her last words to me. >> unbeknownst to her mother, brittanee had gone to myrtle beach for spring break after her mom specifically said she couldn't go. so, for the past three days, she's not at a friend's house nearby, but she's 800 miles away, unsupervised.

>> on april 25th, 2009, i received a phone call from brittanee's boyfriend, john, asking me if i had spoken to brittanee that night. and he's like, "i can't get ahold of her. we've been in constant communication. we were texting, everything was fine, and then her texts just stopped." >> her boyfriend became very concerned. and when she didn't answer him back, he said, "i'm going to go tell your mother that you're in myrtle beach." and that's in fact what he did. >> i heard my mom's phone ring. my mom was downstairs in the living room, and i grab the phone, and it's john grieco, and he sounded really frantic. and he goes, "i need you to give your mom the phone immediately, please." so i go downstairs and give her the phone, and as i'm walking up the stairs, she goes, "she's what? she's where?"

>> john told me that brittanee was in myrtle beach, and they couldn't find her. my heart just dropped. i'm like, "what do you mean you can't find her? where is she?" (man) excuse me, would you mind taking a picture of us? (tony) oh, no problem. (man) thanks. (tony) yes, problem. you need verizon. trade-in that old thing and get a new iphone 15 pro with tons of storage. so you can take all the pics! so many selfies. a preposterous amount of pano! that means panoramic. and as many portraits of me as your heart desires. (woman) how about none? (boy) none. (man) yea none feels right. (vo) trade-in any iphone in any condition and get a new iphone 15 pro and an ipad and apple watch se all on us. only on verizon. head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! you'll find stylish so denim for $27.99. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99. and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's. want more from your vitamins? get more with nature's bounty.

from the first ever triple action sleep supplement, to daily digestive support, to more wellness solutions every day. get more with nature's bounty. long after guests leave, viruses and bacteria linger. air fresheners add a scent. but only lysol air sanitizer helps erase the trace, eliminating odor and killing 99.9% of viruses and bacteria in the air. scent can't sanitize. lysol can. ( ♪ ) when you have ms... like me... ...and me ... and me. progress is... reducing relapses and slowing disability progression. we take ocrevus, an infusion treatment that's just two times a year. a prescription for adults with relapsing or primary progressive

forms of multiple sclerosis, ocrevus is proven effective in reducing relapses in rms and slowing disability progression and reducing brain lesions in rms and ppms. don't take ocrevus if you have hep b and tell your doctor about vaccinations or if you've had colitis or hep b, as hep b could come back. a common side effect of ocrevus is infusion reactions. some may be serious. an increased risk of colitis and cancer may exist with ocrevus and it can increase the risk of infections. pml is rare but may happen with ocrevus. infections and pml can be life threatening and can lead to disability or death. we choose ocrevus . thank you. that's more progress, less progression. ask your doctor about starting with two times a year, ocrevus.

it's been several hours since anyone has heard from brittanee drexel. after sneaking down to myrtle beach for spring break behind her mother's back, no one can

reach her. friends and family immediately know something is wrong. they frantically wonder, "where could she be?" >> i still remember like it was yesterday. and my mom was like, "it's fine. it's fine." you know. "they're going to find her." we were so young, and you didn't think of those bad things happening. just -- something didn't feel right. >> that next morning, dawn and the family mobilize and head to myrtle beach to find brittanee. >> when we arrived in myrtle beach, it was kind of like boots on the ground. and we just started walking up and down the boulevard. >> we're trying to see where her last steps were. where was she last? who would she speak to? just trying to collect as much information as possible. >> we are searching for her everywhere. we were searching in alleys. we were searching in trailer parks. we were searching in dumpsters, looking for her phone, for her purse, for her. >> i mean, we were out from sunup to sundown, looking for her, trying to talk to people and see if anybody had seen her.

>> there have been no reported sightings of 17-year-old brittanee drexel, who went missing here in myrtle beach. >> family members say anything is possible and they are trying to stay positive. >> dawn and the police piece together brittanee's last days before she went missing. >> i was lieutenant of the violent crimes section and the crime scene unit with the myrtle beach police department. we did send the crime scene unit to her hotel to review what she left behind. if there was anything suspicious or that might give us some clue as to what happened. we found that she took very little. >> there were many of us that were working on brittanee's case. for all of us, we knew something wasn't right. and we started looking for any clues as to where she might have gone or who she was with. >> the fantasies of coming down to myrtle beach with the older crowd and friends, all of that wasn't panning out the way she thought it would. >> she went down with two couples. it was kind of like she was a fifth wheel. when she got down there, she felt isolated. and that's why she reached out

to other people that she knew from rochester to go and hang out with them. >> we had learned that brittanee had gone to the blue water resort to see some friends. >> the night brittanee went missing, she walked down this busy strip to meet friends here at the blue water resort, but she didn't stay long. she quickly left to return a pair of shorts she borrowed. >> while she was there meeting those friends, one of the girls that she had come down to myrtle beach with texted her and said, "hey, where are my black shorts?" >> it was apparently a little bit of an argument, so brittanee at that point, thought that she would walk them back. >> and so, brittanee left the blue water resort and was heading back to the bar harbor motel to return the shorts to her friend. >> authorities get their first big break when they pull video from the blue water resort. brittanee is seen on tape leaving the hotel. >> we knew it was her because of

the way that she walks and because of the way that she turned her head in the video. we knew that that was. absolutely brittanee that was walking out. >> i was happy to at least see that she was on the camera, but leaving was obviously the mystery. what way she go? did she take a left? did she go right? did she cross the street? >> brit was very independent, of course. but you're in a city that you're not familiar with. it is a party town. and to see her leaving the hotel by herself. why was she alone? >> heading back down the same path she's taken several times, from what we understand. she just vanishes. there's nothing. >> my daughter just didn't disappear off the face of the earth. she's got to be somewhere. >> missing persons flyers dot poles and posts up and down the main strip. >> the area where brittanee ventured from, it's motels nonstop. motel, motel, motel.

kids cruising the boulevard, people trying to get to where they're going. a lot of motels have cameras, but they're focused on the desk clerks and the guests. we only found one camera that was facing the road. >> when brittanee was walking toward the blue water resort. her image was caught on a street camera. she was walking southbound on ocean boulevard. >> and of course, she was walking with her head down looking at her phone, texting the entire time as she was walking. >> authorities know that brittanee drexel walked past a camera on this corner on her way to the blue water resort. she was also seen walking in and out of the blue water resort, but she never came back past this camera, leading authorities to believe that between the time she left the blue water resort and this place, she was gone. >> it's very possible that she trusted the wrong person, but brittanee wasn't one to just go with somebody completely random. >> her cell phone was incredibly important from the moment they

realized that brittanee was missing. >> we know from brittanee's pattern of life that she was glued to that thing just like any other teenage girl. and it's safe to say that where that phone went, she was also going. as the family's trying to contact her on her cell phone, those calls are being sent to her phone from towers. >> the police tracked brittanee's phone by looking at cell phone records. they tracked the cell pings created by incoming messages. >> once we received brittanee's cell phone information, we were able to realize that she was taken or left myrtle beach very quickly after leaving the blue water resort. >> the initial ping was the south end of myrtle beach. a short time later, she pinged about 15 miles south. she was moving fast, so we knew she was in a vehicle. >> but who was brittanee with, and where was she headed? >> and the last ping was off a tower near the north santee river, which is south of georgetown.

>> it was 50 miles south. nowhere near myrtle beach. >> the final ping from brittanee's phone is in an area that is swampy. it's not an area where a 17-year-old girl would be traveling. >> this is when everyone involved in this investigation realized that they had a major problem on their hands. >> there was absolutely no reason she would've known of a place like that or had a reason to go to a place like that. >> so how had brittanee ended up there? the lows of bipolar depression feel darkest before dawn. with caplyta, there's a chance to let in the lyte™. caplyta is proven to deliver significant relief across bipolar depression. unlike some medicines that only treat bipolar i, caplyta treats both bipolar i and ii depression. and in clinical trials, movement disorders and weight gain were not common. call your doctor about sudden mood changes,

behaviors, or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants may increase these risks in young adults. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. report fever, confusion, stiff or uncontrollable muscle movements which may be life threatening or permanent. these aren't all the serious side effects. caplyta can help you let in the lyte™. ask your doctor about caplyta. find savings and support at caplyta.com head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! ask y you'll find stylishlyta. so denim for $27.99. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99. and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's.

♪ at metro get a new iphone 12 with 5g. take amazing pictures, and share instantly. you don't take yada yada in life. don't take yada yada from your wireless provider. get a new iphone 12 with 5g for only $99.99. only at metro.

you made a cow! actually it's a piggy bank. my inspiration to start saving. how about a more solid way to save?

i'm listening. well, bmo helps get your savings habit into shape with a cash reward, every month you save. both: cash reward? and there's a cash bonus when you open a new checking account to get you started. wow. anything you can't do? ( ♪ ) mugs. ♪ bmo ♪ authorities track brittanee's cell phone to here, the pole yard boat landing on the north santee river. it's a rural, swampy, hard to reach area 46 miles from myrtle beach, not exactly the kind of place people would come to willingly in the middle of the night. >> i think at that point, that's when they start realizing that something had happened to brittanee. >> pole yard landing is a very remote area at the southern

limit of georgetown county. >> it's a very isolated area, and it's a very brutal area. >> this is an area that is covered in swamps and infested with snakes. >> alligators, wild boar, and then you can add the heat. >> if she's here, it's not by her choice. >> that expands the scope of your search. it points in a direction far afield from myrtle beach. >> the santee river became a focal point for the police. we brought in divers, we brought in every possible way to search that area to see if we could find what had taken place with brittanee. searchers began moving through this area in charleston county, south of myrtle beach. >> they put everything into

this, but they were coming up with nothing. >> i knew she was somewhere out there, but you know, just thinking, oh my god, are we ever going to find her? >> i don't think we were accepting that she was -- that she was gone. >> hundreds of tips came in. false sightings were run down, but anxious weeks of searching became months of agony for family members and law enforcement, as brittanee was nowhere to be found. >> we are going to keep looking for brittanee. i mean, we do have hope that, you know, she's still out there. >> the one-year anniversary was the most difficult. we did a march for her. i was holding a "help find brittanee" sign with her little brother, her little sister, and one of her other friends.

>> walking down the main street in those shirts and advocating for someone to speak up and give us answers was heart-wrenching. >> authorities continue to track down every lead, no matter how insignificant. at one point, a sheriff's deputy combing through the sex offender registry comes across the name raymond moody. >> raymond moody was one of my sex offenders here in georgetown county. >> it was interesting that there was a sex offender in such a close proximate location to where her cell phone was last pinging to. so obviously you want to take a deeper dive into him. >> ray moody was sort of an urban legend in georgetown. he was in some ways the boogeyman living amongst us.

ray left georgetown at a very early age. he joined the navy. he was stationed in california. that was when all of his problems started. he was convicted of a series of seven sexual assaults in california and was given a 40-year sentence. >> it was while he was in prison that he would meet ernie merchant. >> my name is ernie merchant, i am a former romantic partner of raymond moody's. ray moody was my protector, my cell husband, and my -- really my best friend in prison. >> ernie was in prison for various charges related to a drug bust, and his sentence was much less severe than raymond moody's. >> i was not aware of ray's sex

offender status until the very end of my stay, right before i left prison. he told me over and over and over again that he was in longer that person. when i left that prison, i had an opportunity to walk away and not look back. and i didn't. i made an enormous decision to go live in a small southern town with a registered sex offender. i had been hairdressing for a very, very long time. i knew how to survive in the free world. he took care of me in prison. i would take care of him in the free world. >> moody is released in 2004 after serving only half of his 40-year sentence. the law in california at the time did not allow for a lengthier prison stay based on those charges. >> raymond moody comes back to georgetown, and most of the

folks that remember raymond moody also know why he's been gone for 21 years. the concern that a registered sex offender is moving back into their very small community is real. >> he said, this is part of it. this is part of my punishment. it's my job to prove that i can be trusted again. living together, you know, we had established a nice, quiet life together. i thought he was happy. i thought he was content. >> things are going well. then his parole ends in 2007. >> when he was essentially for the first time in 25 years a free man, he started to change. i would say, "what's wrong? what's going on? things feel different." and he would tell me that it was just my imagination. i did not imagine that he was

having an affair, particularly with a woman. her name was angel. i had done her hair a couple of times. she sat in my chair, smiled in my face, and of course she was -- all that time, was sleeping with him. >> by april of 2009, ernie and moody have broken up. on april 25th, brittanee drexel goes missing. ernie says two days later he gets a visitor. >> one morning, i was woken very early. i realized there was someone in the house. i shouted from my bedroom, "who's there?" and ray said, "it's just me." i was still half asleep, but i looked at him, and i saw that his face had claw marks all over it.

his neck, cheeks, his head were just clawed. and i said, "what in the hell happened to you?" "oh," he said, "it was a wild weekend." he said that things had gotten out of control. i said, "well, good luck with that." >> do you think he could be responsible for brittanee drexel's disappearance? >> i think he could be responsible for anybody's disappearance. >> guys like raymond moody are extremely dangerous. this guy is as bad as they come. >> he just snatched me from behind and put me in the car. it happened just like that, like in the blink of an eye. ♪ wipe ♪ [sniffs] ♪ wipe it ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ wipe ♪ people who come to cricket, stay with cricket. i'm a full time artist and business owner. i love that cricket helps me share my artwork, create content, and stay in touch with customers. coverage is a beautiful thing. smile, you're on cricket! at olive garden, sauce is the soul. it's what takes you on a tour of italy. and chicken and shrimp carbonara to the next level. made from scratch every day. it's one of the ways we put more in, so you get more out. ♪ i'm adding downy unstopables to my wash. now i'll be smelling fresh all day long. [sniff] still fresh. ♪

get 6x longer-lasting freshness, plus odor protection. try for under $5! all these games on directv— and no satellite on the roof! think about this: blue jays, cardinals, orioles... what's missing? the andean condor? no, walnut-brain! pigeons! they'd rather name a team after socks! to be fair, we're not very athletic. if you're taking an antidepressant, but you're still masking your depression, you could be experiencing a partial response to your antidepressant. partial response happens when your antidepressant alone isn't enough. let's try adding rexulti. when added to an antidepressant, rexulti significantly reduced depression symptoms more than an antidepressant alone. so you can build on your progress. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and actions and worsen depression in children and young adults. report new or sudden changes in mood,

behavior, thoughts, or feelings, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions. report fever, stiff muscles, and confusion which can be life threatening or uncontrolled muscle movements, which may be permanent. high blood sugar which can lead to coma or death; weight gain; increased cholesterol; low white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; falls; seizures; trouble swallowing, or sleepiness may occur. ask your doctor about rexulti.

♪ all of us wanted to know what happened to brittanee. all of us wanted to know and hold anyone accountable that might have harmed her.

>> as soon brittanee was missing, ray moody was on everybody's radar. the word of what he had done in california permeated the area. they immediately focused on, "well, i bet ray," you know -- "i bet ray had something to do with it." >> those seven sexual assaults that ray had been convicted of in california included crimes against teens and children. one of them was kerri harding. >> i was 8 years old in 1983. back in the '80s, you played outside a lot. i didn't have any reason to be afraid. i was walking to the school to meet a friend. he just snatched me from behind and and put me in the car. it happened just like that, like, in the blink of an eye. >> raymond moody sexually assaults kerri. the way kerri describes it to

police later is that it went on for a very long time. >> monsters like raymond moody should not be allowed to walk the streets. >> but he did walk the streets. >> although raymond moody was on the registered sex offender list, and so he was in our sights, we had nothing to link him to the brittanee drexel case. >> after cheating on ernie with angel, who was training to be a first responder, the two men have broken up and ray is living nearby on his own in a motel. >> so moody winds up here in this place? >> yeah, the sunset lodge. >> yeah. what is this place? >> this is a local, low-rent, no-tell motel kind of flophouse joint. a lot of people with just nowhere else to turn. >> definitely a place where somebody could hide. >> uh-huh. >> so you saw the cell phone ping in this area. you had previously identified moody from being on the sex registry, and you put two and

two together and said, "maybe he's got something to do with it"? >> it was definitely -- it made him worth looking at. >> authorities reach out to raymond moody's acquaintances, including ernie merchant, to learn more about moody. they learn about a conversation ernie said he had with angel around the time of brittanee's disappearance. >> he says angel called ray's cell phone one night, but ernie picked up the phone. >> according to ernie, she sounded drunk or otherwise impaired during the phone call. >> and the things ernie says angel told him make the police want to talk to her. and so they bring her in for an interview. >> i understand now you date raymond moody, correct? >> uh-huh. >> we've been wanting to talk to you about all this stuff. one thing in particular is this brittanee drexel. >> police ask angel about that alleged late-night phone call with ernie. >> when you called him -- >> hmm-mm. >> you know -- >> you know, that was some

pretty wild stuff you was saying. >> like i said, i don't -- i don't really know because i was drinking and eating pills. i don't know what i said. i don't remember. during that drinking, popping pill phase, i can't -- i wasn't really coherent. >> angel says she had been mixing her pain medication with alcohol and she doesn't remember that alleged phone call. but she says that moody has talked about brittanee. >> so if i told you that you made the comment that raymond had told you something about being responsible for the disappearance of that young girl? >> would i remember saying it? no. to be honest with you, i wouldn't remember saying it. had he ever said her name? yes. yeah. >> okay. what does he say? >> well, he said -- he told me one time, when i threatened to leave, that he didn't want me to end up like that girl at the beach did. >> do you think he could be responsible for brittanee drexel's disappearance? >> i think he could be responsible for anybody's disappearance.

>> to law enforcement, it seems that angel is afraid of moody. >> do you think he would do anything to you? >> oh, i have no doubt he would if -- if he was mad enough and thought that i was in here talking to you at this moment. yeah, i might be dead tomorrow. >> angel tells police moody has shared violent, terrifying thoughts with her. >> he always had these fantasies about snatching girls off the street and raping them and taking them somewhere and dumping them. i mean, he has those fantasies all the time. i mean, it's always not normal. it's just weird stuff. >> what do you think he's done? >> what do i think he's done? >> mm-hmm. honestly. >> i think he's probably done something, but to who and where, i mean, i wouldn't know. >> she never implicated ray as having any involvement in brittanee drexel's disappearance. >> if you knew he'd done something, would you tell me, or

are you too afraid of him to tell me? >> no, if he -- if i was positive and without any kind of doubt that he'd done it, i would say so. >> after hearing angel's concerns about moody and her fear of him, authorities are even more interested in him as a suspect. but they still need concrete evidence to link him to the disappearance of brittanee drexel. >> georgetown county was able to get a search warrant for the sunset lodge. they were looking for any clues of brittanee having been there in the room that raymond moody had rented. >> select crime scene technicians searched an apartment at the sunset lodge south of georgetown today. raymond moody lived in that the room around the time that drexel disappeared. >> so they take the room apart. they want to see if there's anything that would connect ray moody to the disappearance of brittanee drexel. and they take the wallpapers off the wall. they take the mattresses off the bed and split them open. >> they did the search.

and i remember we were all, you know, waiting for answers. >> and what did you find? >> nothing. >> nothing? >> nothing. >> complete dead end? >> dead end. >> ray moody was a dead end. but the case was about to pivot in a whole new direction. >> what we've come to discover through the course of this investigation now is -- >> you absolutely don't want to envision that that's how brittanee's last moments were. ♪ when you have moderate—to—severe eczema, it's okay to show off. with dupixent, show off your clearer skin and less itch. because you have plenty of reasons to show off your skin. with dupixent, the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, you can stay ahead of your eczema.

it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema to help heal your skin from within. many adults saw 90% clearer skin. some even achieved long—lasting clearer skin and fast itch relief after first dose. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. ♪ show off to the world. ask your eczema specialist about dupixent. ♪ring jingle♪ -whasssssup. -greetings happen. yeah, that's not good happens. huge things happen. home happens. -woo hoo! -be there with ring. learn more at ring.com. always dry scoop before you run. listen to me, the hot dog diet got me shredded.

it's time we listen to science. one a day is formulated with key nutrients to support whole body health. one a day. science that matters. panera's mac and cheese... fave. tomato soup in a bread bowl... fave! all your favorites... always at panera. so grab a chocolate chipper. we know it's a fave, too. only at panera. one dollar delivery fee on our app. head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! you'll find stylish so denim for $27.99. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99. and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's.

is it possible to count on my internet like my customers count on me? it is with comcast business. keeping you up and running with our 99.9% network reliability. and security that helps outsmart threats to your data. moaire dida twoo? - your data, too. there's even round-the-clock customer support.

so you can be there for your customers. with comcast business, reliability isn't just possible. it's happening. get started for $49 a month. plus, ask how to get up to a $800 prepaid card with a qualifying internet package. don't wait, call and switch today! ♪ we always held out hope that she was somewhere out there. >> hope was a very strong word. especially with our family, when it came up to my sister's case. >> when the world says give up hope, hope whispers, "try one more time."

and that's the phrase i've always thought of. >> but hope is running thin. no leads have panned out. the investigation into convicted local sex offender, raymond moody, has turned out to be a dead end and seven years have now passed. >> this happened in 2009. asking the question what could we still had every year people asking the question what could have happened to her? >> but then, in 2016, the fbi holds a press conference here in mcclellanville. you see this is near where brittanee's cell phone last pinged and just minutes away from where authorities conducted an exhaustive search for her. >> and the fbi drops a bombshell. they come forward to say that they are ready to announce that brittanee drexel is dead. >> what we've come to discover through the course of this investigation now is that brittanee drexel did leave the myrtle beach area. we believe she traveled to this

area around mcclellanville, and we believe she was killed after that. >> they were sure that drexel was deceased. they were sure where she was deceased at. >> after seven long years of waiting and praying for the return of my daughter, we know she isn't coming home alive. brittanee's life was stolen from her in a brutal and senseless fashion. >> the first question was, how do they know that she is dead? what happened to her was still being held from us. >> the fbi has some evidence pointing towards brittanee's death, but what they don't have is who's responsible for this. so they have to be very careful about what information they release to the public. >> i've been authorized by the director of the fbi to offer a $25,000 reward leading to the arrest and the conviction of those responsible for killing brittanee drexel.

>> it was in some ways unprecedented how strong they came out without actually charging anyone. they needed us to still help them find out who did it. >> we need your help so we can find brittanee's remains and bring her home to lay her to rest. >> it was a horrible feeling, that they're now officially saying that she's no longer alive. and then to have released the details that they did, it was tragic. >> law enforcement proceeded to tell me that my daughter was gang raped, beaten, and then they shot her. and then they fed her to the alligators. i couldn't even talk. i was so upset, i couldn't even talk. >> newly released federal court documents reveal what fbi agents think happened to brittanee drexel. >> two months later, the public finally learns of the evidence authorities claim points to

brittanee's death and how they allege she died. >> an agent says an inmate told investigators drexel was kidnapped, raped, shot and killed and her body was dumped in a swamp near mcclellanville. >> an individual by the name of taquan brown, who was an inmate serving a 25-year sentence, came forward and indicated that he was present and saw brittanee drexel in mcclellanville at a stash house. >> in court documents, this stash house is described as a hangout place where there was allegedly some drug use. >> the statement from taquan brown was that he saw brittanee, i guess, being assaulted by somebody. she resisted and in some form and was shot and killed. >> you absolutely don't want to envision that that's how brittanee's last moments were. being shot, and then being

dumped in a gator pit. to think that's what happened to someone that you're so close with, someone that you loved so much, it was an awful, awful feeling. >> once that was in my head, i just broke down at that point. i don't understand how they could do that. i don't get it. >> for anybody, knowing her or not knowing her, to hear that a human went through that was just like, oh my goodness. >> the informant who comes forward, taquan brown, tells the fbi he knows who was involved in the abduction of brittanee drexel. >> there were some allegations against or implicating an individual from mcclellanville, timothy da'shaun taylor. mcclellanville is obviously very close to where drexel's phone was last pinging to. it's definitely something to be followed up on. >> the information being provided by brown was corroborated by another individual that was providing information.

>> taylor was on law enforcement's radar for a long time at this point, because he had already been convicted of taking part in an armed robbery. >> taylor had been involved in a mcdonald's robbery that resulted in state charges. when the information came to light about his alleged involvement in brittanee drexel's case, he was recharged in federal court. you don't often see that, but it was viewed by many in law enforcement and on the outside as an opportunity to put pressure on timothy taylor to provide information. >> now, taylor at all times denied any involvement in brittanee's case. in fact, he went on television. >> i didn't pick her up. i never saw her besides seeing her on tv and the internet through a computer screen. it did not happen.

>> did you kidnap brittanee drexel? >> no, i did not. >> have you ever been to the bluewater hotel where she was last seen? >> no, sir. >> he was unwavering. and i said to myself, "if this guy's lying, man, he's a real good liar." >> taylor, the stuff looked exciting to begin with, but the information that we received from the informant never panned out. >> and it's not enough to charge timothy taylor with brittanee's disappearance. >> the fbi obviously had enough information that they felt this had truly happened to brittanee. that isn't what happened to her. >> i said, "i'm done with the b.s., i'm done with the lies. i want my daughter found." >> a new fbi team steps in. >> who can we look at and say evidence puts them here and here? >> the team's meticulous approach unearths a shocking and familiar name. >> you're never going to believe who it is.

so i didn't think i needed swiffer, until, i saw how easily it picked up my hair every time i dried it! only takes a minute. look at that! the heavy duty cloths are extra thick, for amazing trap & lock. even for his hair. wow. and for dust, i love my heavy duty duster. the fluffy fibers trap dust on contact, up high and all around without having to lift a thing.

i'm so hooked. you'll love swiffer. or your money back! - goddesses, i bring the vitality of sun! - and i, the sea! - i took the kids swimming, hit up the farmer's market, and crushed my sales call! typical tuesday. - [announcer] awaken your inner goddess with vitafusion's expertly crafted assortment of delicious and nutritious gummies. - oh! and i brought cupcakes. (goddesses gasp) ♪ ♪ ooooh! ♪ ♪ breathing claritin clear is like... (♪) is he? confidently walking 8 long haired dogs and living as if he doesn't have allergies? yeah. fast relief of your worst allergy symptoms, like nasal congestion. no one wants to be my friend. if i told someone, it would only get worse. i'm scared to be alone. scared for what's waiting for me around every corner.

i can't stand up for myself. these are the stories of kids that were bullied. 1 in 5 have experienced this in school. so the nfl's working to give them the tools to create healthier relationships. we've helped more than 2 million students. together, we can help even more at characterplaybook.com head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! you'll find stylish w so denim for $27.99. 2 million students. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99. and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's. ( ♪ ♪ ) start your day with nature made.

the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. i have active psoriatic arthritis. but with skyrizi to treat my skin and joints, the #1 pharmacist recommended i'm feeling this moment. along with clearer skin skyrizi helps me move with less joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. and is just 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine, or plan to. there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement-and that means everything! ask your doctor about skyrizi today. learn how abbvie could help you save.

♪ "okay, mom, i'll see you tomorrow, i love you." those were her last words to me. >> we were so young, and you didn't think of those bad things happening. >> imagine to yourself, what if that was my kid? you don't want to stop until you find them. >> when she steps out of the car here, who steps out with her? people want answers and we do too, but some of those things are going to be hard to find.

>> at the end of the day, we're looking for brittanee. >> i don't know the whole truth. >> who can we look at and say, evidence points them here and here, point "a" to point "b"? >> your point "a" was all of myrtle beach. >> did we miss something? >> my mom was destined to find my sister, from day one. >> why did i have to wait 13 years for this to be solved? >> she went from being desperate to determined. there's nothing like a mother who's determined. there's no stopping them. it's been almost a decade since brittanee drexel vanished while on spring break in myrtle beach. >> i did call the fbi today, and they said they still have no updates for us. >> all-american girl, very pretty, 17. nothing but a bright future ahead of her. goes down to myrtle beach to

have fun with friends, and every parent's worst nightmare, she disappears. >> we still don't know where she is or what happened to her. >> you've got a young girl in a safe place caught on camera, and then minutes later, just to disappear. the suddenness is stunning. >> no arrests have been made, and no one has been charged. >> throughout all these years, i never gave up trying to look for brittanee. >> this was a really important birthday. i mean, her 21st birthday. >> this is when they had the press conference telling us that she was deceased. a lot of times, it felt like i was never going to find her. but i knew that i had to keep her name and face out there.

>> in the years that brittanee has been missing, the main persons of interest named by authorities have all turned out to be dead ends. timothy da'shaun taylor, named by a jailhouse informant in 2016, and ray moody, a convicted sex offender, investigated in 2011. but now, a new fbi team is brought in. >> as far as our involvement for this team that we currently have started when dawn drexel came to our office and asked us if we would become more involved in assisting in this investigation. >> she's very proactive in seeking answers, and she doesn't accept inactivity. inactivity would probably be the best way to say it. >> i went in to a meeting with them and i said, "i'm done with the b.s., i'm done with the lies." i said, "i want my daughter found." >> between the three of us up here, we're into the double digits on daughters, all of us. it's something that when you hear the story, you see what happened, you just imagine to yourself, what if that was my kid?

you don't want to stop until you find them. >> it was most important to us to find brittanee. so that changes your investigative strategy. because you're not just looking to find the answers to the case. you're trying to find her, where she is physically located. >> we all reviewed the entirety of the evidence, making sure we were looking at at least the most complete picture that was possible. >> we said, "let's look at this thing scientifically and not focus on any specific individual." let's see who is at myrtle beach between 8:30 and a little bit after 9:00 the day that brittanee went missing and who was at the landing shortly after 10:00 p.m. >> who can we look at and say evidence puts them here and here, point "a" and point "b"? >> remember, authorities had pieced together the general vicinity of points "a" and "b" years before. >> law enforcement, way before we got involved, had collected cell phone information based on brittanee's cell phone and knew

where she was at at certain points based on communications going in and out of that cell phone. >> all these data points were developed by people who care about brittanee. and inadvertently, i don't think they realized it at the time, but they were creating evidence, critical pieces to the investigation. >> your point "a" was all of myrtle beach? >> more or less. >> then you point "b" is somewhere -- wait, how many miles away is the santee river? >> it takes about an hour and twenty-ish minutes to get there by car. >> it's a big area. >> okay, how do you start narrowing it down? >> so, we talk about brittanee seen on the 11th avenue south camera, which was right behind me, walking south across this hotel area right here. and what we were able to determine was approximately how fast she is moving. we came out here, we walked it with stop watches, we checked it against maps. >> you're just trying to put those little pieces together to build some type of a profile of her pattern of behavior. >> the fact that brittanee's text with her boyfriend ended so abruptly that night provide the fbi a critical clue. >> that tells you that whatever

was the norm, has now changed.t fbi a critical clue. >> that tells you that whatever was the norm, has now fbi a critical clue. >> that tells you that whatever was the norm, has nowfbi a crit. >> that tells you that whatever was the norm, has now fbi a cri. >> that tells you that whatever was the norm, has now changed. >> investigators had always suspected that brittanee somehow got into a vehicle after she left the blue water resort. >> at approximately 8:45 p.m., we have brittanee on video leaving the blue water resort. then her phone travels at a speed consistent with walking. >> at what point, did you get a sense of she went from walking to being in a car? >> so, her last outgoing text message or communication of any kind to anyone, was at 8:57, :58. and we knew from the geolocation data, that she was moving north on ocean boulevard. and we knew that if she had continued her normal pattern of walking, that we would've seen her back on this camera. but brittanee never was seen crossing back. instead, what you see is that only approximately six or seven minutes later, that her phone is pinging in the area blocks and blocks and blocks north where it would be impossible for someone on foot to get there that fast. >> and how do you know which way she's going? >> the way the phone data looked

to us was that they stayed on this road here. >> so that's when, for the fbi team, what had been a routine stream of traffic for the 11th avenue south footage took on urgent meaning. >> we knew that between 8:58 p.m. and 9:03 p.m., a car was going to pass on that 11th street south camera that had brittanee's phone in it, which most likely had brittanee in it. >> these guys had the video enhanced. >> we studied that video ad nauseam to really make sure we knew every vehicle that went by. >> that took months and months and months and months. because a bunch of vehicles, grainy video, it's hard to tell a difference between a ford explorer, black, brown, suburban, pickup truck. >> at the same time, they're digging through files and databases trying to determine what vehicles their persons of interest were driving or had access to. >> could we attribute a vehicle associated with any of our persons of interest to a vehicle in that video?

>> eventually, there was a point in time where there was one specific vehicle that stood out to us. >> it's an oddly specific eddie bauer ford explorer. >> even as the team zeroed in on point "a" on the myrtle beach strip, they also had to narrow down which persons of interest could be placed at the other end of the puzzle, at point "b" at the pole yard landing. >> what was obvious to us was like, you don't just pick that location. we were reasonably sure it was somebody that had familiarity with the landing. >> that's when the team's meticulous approach points to a familiar name, raymond moody. >> raymond moody was an individual that popped up both at "a" and both at "b" during that evening. >> he was living at the sunset lodge. >> and crucially, they discovered documentation that angel voss, ray moody's girlfriend, could have had access to the type of ford explorer they'd identified in that video from 11th avenue south. >> meanwhile, one more piece of

information also involving angel comes to the fbi's attention. according to authorities, angel once told a friend that she and ray might have had something to do with brittanee drexel's disappearance. >> authorities say that angel's friend goes to investigators with this information, and they convince her to let them record another conversation with angel. >> she gets a statement from angel on tape saying, "i did it, not ray. i did it." >> authorities cannot corroborate angel's claim, and they say they're skeptical that it's true. >> the idea is from all of the agencies, "look, angel didn't do this. she's lying." but angel is on tape saying she did that. >> and given angels possible access to that ford explorer on ocean boulevard, the fbi sees an opportunity. >> ray's the convicted sex offender. we think we got our guy. but if everything's pointing at angel, that might be a tool we can use.

ultimately, it was decided that, "hey, now's the time. let's take a run at it and see what happens." you know? >> i'll tell you to the best of my ability, but can i be 100% precise? i can't promise you that. >> and then we get to the third agent who starts asking the tough questions. >> i said no. i said no. no means no. i got to go. for possibilities, has you searching discover a different first treatment. immunotherapies work with your immune system to attack cancer. but opdivo plus yervoy is the first combination of 2 immunotherapies for adults newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread, tests positive for pd-l1, and does not have an abnormal egfr or alk gene. opdivo plus yervoy is not chemotherapy, it works differently. it helps your immune system fight cancer in 2 different ways. opdivo and yervoy can cause your immune system to harm healthy parts of your body during and after treatment. these problems can be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have a cough; chest pain; shortness of breath; irregular heartbeat; diarrhea; constipation; severe stomach pain; severe nausea or vomiting; dizziness;

fainting; eye problems; extreme tiredness; changes in appetite, thirst or urine; rash; itching; confusion; memory problems; muscle pain or weakness; joint pain; flushing; or fever. these are not all the possible side effects. problems can occur together and more often when opdivo is used with yervoy. tell your doctor about all medical conditions including immune or nervous system problems, if you've had or plan to have an organ or stem cell transplant, or received chest radiation. your search for 2 immunotherapies starts here. ask your doctor about opdivo plus yervoy. a chance to live longer. people who come to cricket stay with cricket. i volunteer at a bunny rescue, and with cricket my bill is consistent and i have unlimited data, so i can do what i love. unlimited data for unlimited cuteness.

smile, you're on cricket! ♪ at metro get a new iphone 12 with 5g. take amazing pictures, and share instantly. you don't take yada yada in life. don't take yada yada from your wireless provider. get a new iphone 12 with 5g for only $99.99. only at metro. ♪ ♪ every road, that's wrong ♪ ♪ seems like the road i'm on ♪ ♪ every sign ♪ ♪ just seems unclear ♪

♪ ♪ and i, ♪ ♪ i wish i was here ♪ hey... it's me! your dry skin! i'm craving something we're missing. the ceramides in cerave. cerave, with three essential ceramides, helps restore my natural barrier, so i can lock in moisture and we can feel it long after. cerave moisturizers.

♪ fbi investigators are sitting down with ray moody's longtime girlfriend, angel vause, at the georgetown county sheriff's office. it's more than ten years after local authorities first brought her to the same room to question her about ray and the night of brittanee drexel's disappearance. >> i took her upstairs. i introduced her to special agent cavanagh and special agent connolly and intelligence analyst caleb messer. she agreed to go in, sit down, talk with them.

>> we wanted to try and go back to the beginning on this thing and just talk to everybody who's been interviewed before. >> okay. >> anything she says is better than nothing. we'll even take the small victories, because the small victories adds up. >> it was a little ways ago. i understand that. >> no, i mean, i'll tell you to the best of my ability. but can i be 100% precise? i can't promise you that. >> and we totally understand. >> okay. >> so the interview starts off very slowly as they're asking her basic questions in order to warm her up before they start hitting her with the harder questions. >> what is the first memory that you have about the first thing you heard about the brittanee drexel case? >> the first thing -- i don't know if i heard it on tv. i probably heard it at work. >> they're trying to determine if she or ray would've been driving that 1998 ford explorer on ocean boulevard during the specific time window that they think brittanee's cell phone passed the camera on 11th avenue south. >> we're pretty sure that's their explorer. but i need her to say it. >> did you guys ever have a bravada, an oldsmobile, or anything like that?

>> like a cherokee kind of thing? i'm asking why because when my car messed up, before i got another one, my brother let me use his car. >> okay. >> now, he had one like a cherokee, but i don't know what the name of it was. >> she didn't say explorer. it was hard. >> do you remember anything about when it was wrecked or when you borrowed his car? >> early 2009? maybe. yeah, maybe. >> had ray ever been in the vehicle? >> just a couple times, really not too much. and actually, i do think i picked him up a couple of times in it. >> she was trying to minimize as much detail as she possibly could, trying to keep things as gray as she possibly can. >> would there be any reason why anyone might've seen that vehicle near the landing the night that brittanee went missing? >> i have no idea. i was at work. >> oh, you were at work that night? >> i was at work. >> this is an art form. there are three agents that are questioning her. and the first two handle all of the initial stuff. and then we get to the third agent who starts asking the tough questions.

>> angel, i'm kind of a direct guy, okay? >> that's fine. >> i'm not going to beat around the bush. i don't want to waste your time. >> okay. >> did you have any involvement in picking up brittanee drexel on ocean boulevard? >> hell, no. most certainly did not. >> she was never in a vehicle of yours? >> no, never in a vehicle with me. no, period. >> mike connelly, he brought out the big guns at this point in time. he let her know that the fbi was in possession of an intercepted communication in which an individual claims responsibility for the death of brittanee drexel. >> i'm going to read to you a couple of quotes, and it's pretty much almost verbatim what was said by one of these people. >> okay. wait a minute. i'll tell you what. don't read me that quote. because if you're trying to accuse me of anything, i'm not going to be involved in it. >> angel said, "you're not going to sit here and tell me that ray was involved in this girl's death. he didn't have anything to do with it." >> i say he didn't, okay, i say he did not. >> i'm not accusing him of anything. >> yeah, you are.

you're not going to involve him in it. >> angel, hold on a second. >> no, i'm not. >> just give us one piece of information. >> i said no. no means no. i got to go. >> she storms out of there. >> obviously, it's a law enforcement facility. you're not allowed to walk around unattended, so i had to run and go get her and accompany her back out to the parking lot. she's cussing them the whole way out. i told her, "look, they're not here to talk about ray. they're here to talk about you. right now you're the focus of the drexel investigation." she started chain smoking a couple cigarettes, and she says, "you know, i need to go back in there and talk with them." >> i'm back. >> hank had explained to her that she's the one they had on tape talking about brittanee. it was her own words the agent was going to read. >> she tells the fbi she knows what she said. she was just drunk. >> we'd been out all night drinking, and she kept asking me questions about ray. >> and saying that to absorb and deflect, get the attention off of ray. >> i just wanted everybody to leave him alone, so i put the blame on me instead of him. >> is that true, though?

>> no, no. i would never hurt anybody. >> what's the truth, then? >> i don't know. i don't know the whole truth. i don't know where he was that night. >> she maintained that she wasn't with him, didn't know where he was, what he was doing. >> he did have my vehicle. >> that night -- you remember it being that night? >> that night, yes. >> she placed ray in her brother's vehicle. >> so if the vehicle was on the boulevard at the exact time, pretty much, that brittanee goes missing, your recollection is that would've been ray in your vehicle, if that was your vehicle? >> if it was my vehicle. >> that puts ray at the same place at the same time, from approximately the same location that brittanee disappeared from. that was huge. law enforcement had never gotten there before. >> at the end of the day, we're looking for brittanee, the body. all right? >> mm-hmm. >> so that is a golden ticket. >> i'm sure it is. >> right? what we're trying to do is find out what exactly happened that night. we picked you to talk to because we thought you would have information about this.

there's evidence that indicates that you could have been in that vehicle, that your phone could have been there. >> well, you know what? i probably still have that phone. >> you still have that phone? >> that's hugely important. there could be evidence on that cell phone. it could be photographic, call, detail records, text message content, geolocation data that could prove or disprove her statements. that's a big win. >> just before the interview concludes, angel tells the fbi she does not know what happened to brittanee drexel. >> anybody that would have that information would be holding a very, very valuable -- very, very valuable card. >> i don't know where brittanee is. i don't. i really don't. >> i believe you. we want to work with -- we want to try to get there. >> when we ended the interview, angel appeared cooperative. >> i'll meet with you tomorrow. >> we thought it went well. our hopes were dashed pretty quickly of that the next day when she didn't respond to any of my calls or texts. we let a full day go by. we're back to square one. we all come together.

i want that phone. "i'm getting a search warrant to get in your house and get that phone." we execute the search warrant. huge operation. you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a cop out there that day. everybody wanted to be part of this. >> senior investigator hank carrison is leading one team one route, while special agent michael connelly and special agent james cavanagh are leading the second team a different route. >> they actually encounter ray and angel in a church parking lot next to a dollar general. ray comes right up and starts talking to special agent connelly. mike told him that we've got some stuff we think it's important that you hear. >> and ray says, "i got a big surprise for you guys." >> we got a call that he wanted to speak to us. i told myself i was ok with my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. with my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. but just ok isn't ok. and i was done settling. if you still have symptoms after a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq is different and may help.

rinvoq is a once-daily pill that can rapidly relieve joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in ra and psa. relieve fatigue for some... and stop joint damage. and in psa, can leave skin clear or almost clear. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin; heart attack, stroke, and gi tears occurred. people 50 and older with a heart disease risk factor have an increased risk of death. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. done settling? ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. and take back what's yours. abbvie could help you save.

did you guys remember career day last year? lane hartzel came as a hershey's taste tester. well i told hershey about that. seeing the way that hershey's has made the dream come true... has just really been exciting. thank you, lane! (man) excuse me, would you mind taking a picture of us?ust really been exciting. (tony) oh, no problem. (man) thanks. (tony) yes, problem. you need verizon. trade-in that old thing and get a new iphone 15 pro with tons of storage. so you can take all the pics! so many selfies. a preposterous amount of pano! that means panoramic. and as many portraits of me as your heart desires. (woman) how about none? (boy) none. (man) yea none feels right. (vo) trade-in any iphone in any condition and get a new iphone 15 pro and an ipad and apple watch se all on us. only on verizon. to 50 years with my best friend and my soulmate.

[clanking] [gasping] nooo... aya... quick, the quicker picker upper! only bounty absorbs spills like a sponge. and bounty is 2x more absorbent so you can use less and get the job done with one. you've got a bit of your face on your face. bounty, the quicker picker upper. and get four rolls in one with the bounty mega roll. our longest lastng roll. roll up to easter with fast and easy drive up. and get four rolls in one wi[ upbeat music plays ]l. drive up is fast, easy, and always free only at target. ♪ stay ahead of your child's moderate—to—severe eczema, and they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent. the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your child's skin from within. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes,

including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your child's eczema specialist about dupixent. ♪ while investigators are executing a search warrant at the house where ray moody lives with his longtime girlfriend, angel vause, moody arrives back on the scene. >> i give ray a copy of the search warrant. he can put two and two together and start to realize that we've got evidence, and ultimately, we would go after whatever and whomever we had to, to get justice for brittanee drexel.

>> moody asks his attorney to meet with the fbi. >> we presented the information about the vehicles, the information about the phones. >> and we said, "this is what we think happened." >> the investigators painted moody into a corner. >> we got a call in that he wanted to speak to us. >> moody meets with the fbi and local authorities at his attorney's office. >> you do have the right to remain silent, okay? anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. >> well, only person i've ever told this story to is my lawyer. angel never even knew the real story. >> after 13 long agonizing years, it's over in an instant. ray moody confesses to killing brittanee drexel. when i was going down ocean boulevard, we were going along pretty slow driving. and i saw uh the drexel girl walking along on the sidewalk.

>> did she ask for a ride, or did you ask her for a ride -- you ask her if you wanted a ride? do you remember? >> i asked her if she'd like to party with us. >> okay. >> she said, "sure." >> angel was with you when you picked up brittanee? is that correct? were you guys together in the car? >> she was sitting in the passenger seat. so we started driving. we were just driving around, smoking, talking, and we went right into georgetown. went right to a spot where we used to camp out down by the river. and i was by myself with her. because angel left for a while to go see her son. things got out of hand, and i panicked and she panicked, and i strangled her. >> moody's statements are that the murder and the strangulation and the rape all occurred at the landing. >> at that point it's just a confession. but it doesn't get you to a

point where you can say definitively it's all correct and he's the guy. >> but moody claims full responsibility for the crime. >> i did this. angel's been a victim of mine for a long [ bleep ] time. >> the ultimate test for us was going to be, could he provide information that would ultimately lead to the remains of brittanee brex sell? >> raymond moody takes them up past the sunset lodge, about three miles into a wooded area to the site where he says that he buried her body. >> he stood on the ground and said, "it's right here." >> investigators immediately arrest raymond moody for obstruction of justice so they can hold him in jail until they can excavate the site. >> and then there's the matter of the difficult phone call to dawn drexel. >> and i go, you've got to be kidding me. and i said, "they looked at him in 2012," i'm like, oh my god. >> dawn had called me, and she just said, "you're never going to believe who it is." i said, "who?" and she said, "raymond moody." >> brittanee was killed at that boat landing.

he took her down there, same night she went missing, he raped her. she fought. she fought hard. >> ernie merchant can only think back in horror to the time that raymond moody described the scratches on his face as being the result of a wild weekend. >> if those claw marks on his face were made by her daughter, she fought for her life. >> we lodged ray overnight in jail. we brought him out the next day, and with his attorneys present, we conducted a far more in-depth and more formal interview. >> we drove all the way straight back into georgetown, and the whole time we're laughing, joking, small talk and all that kind of stuff. >> moody tells investigators that sometime after they got to the pole yard landing, angel left for a period of time and that's when moody, now alone, says he murdered brittanee.

>> did you have any inclination at that point when angel left what was going to happen next? >> nope. something just like snapped, you know, just like all of a sudden. >> moody says he hid brittanee's body about 150 feet away in a blanket in a grove of trees. >> and i put her underneath the tree. >> moody says when angel returned, he told her brittanee's friends had come and picked her up. >> she didn't really question me about it. you know, "all right." >> he says he retrieved brittanee's body hours later while angel was sleeping and buried it at the site he'd taken investigators to. >> several days after moody's confession, angel herself came in for what's called a proffer interview. in effect, she promises to tell the truth. and in return, they promise to take her cooperation into account in determining whether or not to prosecute her for any involvement she might have had in the events of that night. >> despite having lied, angel finally admits she was with ray when they picked up brittanee drexel on the strip.

but she says she left moody and brittanee alone at the pole yard landing. >> according to prosecutors, phone records show that there was a time later in the evening at the pole yard landing when she and ray were not together. >> she got into the vehicle, she had her phone and everything with her. he's never made me suspicious one little bit until things came on tv and then i'm like, "okay, what's going on?" and he said, "i told you, was she there?" and that was my answer i got every time i said anything about it. he never said one word about the night or anything after that to me. >> meanwhile, investigators finally start to dig where moody said he buried brittanee. >> all day we dug, into the night, and we're all feeling pretty dejected that we didn't find anything. >> it was days of digging, and maybe, did we miss something?

>> i was starting to lose hope. e ulcerative colitis. it wasn't always this calm uc went everywhere i did. wondering when it would pop up next was stressful doing a number on my insides. but then i found out about velsipity a new once-daily pill, not a steroid or biologic, for adults with moderate to severe uc. velsipity can help calm the chaos of uc — it quickly treats flares providing a chance for lasting steroid-free remission. don't take velsipity if you've had a heart attack, chest pain, stroke or ministroke, heart failure in the last 6 months, irregular or abnormal heartbeat. velsipity may cause serious side effects including infections that can be fatal, slow heart rate, liver problems, increased blood pressure, macular edema, certain types of skin cancer, swelling and narrowing of the brain's blood vessels or shortness of breath. tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to be. if conventional therapy like 5-asas or steroids aren't working for you, ask your gastroenterologist about velsipity. velsipity. help calm the chaos of uc.

people who come to cricket stay with cricket. i volunteer at a bunny rescue, and with cricket my bill is consistent and i have unlimited data, so i can do what i love. unlimited data for unlimited cuteness. smile, you're on cricket! head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! you'll find stylish so denim for $27.99. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99. and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's. is kfc's new chizza... pizza? fried chicken? that's not pizza. that's right. it's not pizza. it's chizza. only at kfc. ( ♪ )

(box thuds) (water boils) (packet tears) (tea bag clanks) (water pours) - listening to people that drink bigelow tea is so important to my family, because making that perfect cup, it's the reason we do what we do hi, guys! - hi! - hey! - so what are you guys drinking? - constant comment.

- when i'm drinking bigelow tea, it's just a moment for me. it's just me time. - that's what a cup of tea is. - it is. - a moment for you, someone you love. - aw! (customer sighs) - it tastes really great. - yes! it was always bigelow tea - wow! that's what my family hopes for. cheers. - cheers. (bright upbeat music)

♪ it's been 13 years since brittanee drexel suddenly went missing. authorities now have a confession from registered sex offender raymond moody, but they will only believe it when they've located brittanee's body. >> i talked to them on monday, and they had started digging up this area where they believe brittanee was put. and in the first few days, they didn't find her. well, wednesday i got into my car and i turned my radio on. and this song came on. "rescue" by lauren daigle. ♪ there's never been a moment

you were forgotten ♪ >> it's a beautiful song. and i knew they were searching for brittanee. and i told them, "listen to this song while you're searching for her." ♪ i will send out an army to find you in the middle of the darkest night ♪ ♪ it's true i will rescue you ♪ >> she called me and said it gave her hope we were getting close because of the context of that song. actually, i played it and listened to it while we were there. ♪ i will never stop marching to reach you in the middle of the hardest fight ♪ ♪ it's true i will rescue you ♪

>> late on the third day of digging, the man running the backhoe at the dig site alerted the team that he thought they were close. >> all of a sudden he says, "this is it." >> he could tell dirt that had been disturbed before versus dirt that had not. we uncovered a bone, and at that point we stopped everything. and we took a step back, and we called the evidence response team who came out and began the process of extracting her remains. >> they set up lights, and the fbi dug all night. >> we go from inch by inch to grain by grain. >> it was an entire team effort that night. everyone felt a sense of ownership, a sense of responsibility. >> just the wave of emotions

that overcomes you of, we just found brittanee drexel. >> that following day, they had told me that they had found human remains that they believed to be brittanee's. >> the discovery of human remains in a rural area of south carolina. >> drexel's body was identified through dental records and dna testing. >> my mom had called me. they found brittanee's remains, and her nose ring was still there. a piece of her contact was still there. i told her i wanted to keep those. >> dawn called me and told me. it immediately, it didn't feel like it had been 13 years. it felt like -- it still feels so raw. >> it's something that i'd waited 13 years to hear. 13 years to be able to lay my best friend to rest. >> i didn't want brittanee buried.

i told her, she's been in the ground too long. i said i would like to have her cremated so that the people that loved her could have a piece of her. >> i like this. it's beautiful. >> my mom was destined to find my sister from day one. but we're just waiting for justice for her now. >> after 13 years of waiting, brittanee drexel's family finally getting some answers. >> authorities announcing an arrest after more than a decade of searching. >> the georgetown county sheriff's office charges against mr. raymond moody are murder, kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct in the first degree. >> angel voss is not charged in connection with brittanee's disappearance. >> today marks the beginning of a new chapter. the search for brittanee is now a pursuit of brittanee's justice.

>> that pursuit of justice will soon bring brittanee's family face to face with the man who confessed to her murder. >> you guys are all mentally prepared to see this guy? just remember, today's about brittanee, not him. >> once he walked into that courtroom, it just made me so angry. >> i was imagining a thousand ways to break his neck. ave typet i manage it well ♪ ♪ jardiance! ♪ ♪ it's a little pill with a big story to tell ♪ ♪ i take once-daily jardiance ♪ ♪ at each day's start! ♪ ♪ as time went on it was easy to see ♪ ♪ i'm lowering my a1c! ♪ jardiance works twenty-four seven in your body to flush out some sugar. and for adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. serious side effects may include ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration that can lead to sudden worsening of kidney function, and genital yeast or urinary tract infections.

a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection ketoacidosis, or an allergic reaction. you may have an increased risk for lower limb loss. call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of infection in your legs or feet. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. ♪ jardiance is really swell ♪ ♪ the little pill ♪ ♪ with a big story to tell! ♪ you know that thing your family does? someone made it a thing, back in the day. but where did it come from? ancestry can help you find out. lucky you, it's on sale now. [♪] your skin is ever-changing, take care of it with gold bond's healing formulations of 7 moisturizers and 3 vitamins. for all your skins, gold bond. people who come to cricket, stay with cricket. i'm a full time artist and business owner.

i love that cricket helps me share my artwork, create content, and stay in touch with customers. coverage is a beautiful thing. smile, you're on cricket! cancer is a journey you don't take alone. you did it! our cancer care team works together to care for all that is you.

you can make money the hard way as a bullfighter or a human cannonball... or save money the easy way, with xfinity mobile. existing customers can get a free line of our most popular unlimited plan for a year! not only will you save hundreds but you'll also be joining millions who have connected to america's most reliable 5g network. sure is a lot safer than becoming a stuntman for money. get a free line of unlimited intro for a year when you buy one unlimited line. visit xfinitymobile.com today to learn more.

today is the most anticipated day in this 13-year saga. raymond moody is expected to plead guilty to all counts surrounding the murder of brittanee drexel. >> good morning. >> hi, good morning. how are you?

>> the family of brittanee drexel coming face-to-face with the man responsible for her murder. >> you got my speeches all done? or printed out? >> our unanimous vote was take out the mister, "mr. moody." it seems too respectful. >> i refer to defendants all the time as mister. it's almost like a backwards slap. the most important thing is, obviously this is coming from your heart. >> i think the fbi just got here. good morning. >> how are you? >> good, how are you? >> how are you? are you good? >> yes, i'm good. >> are you ready? >> i'm ready. >> if the fbi agents i've been working with since after 2016, if they would have never gotten involved, we would not be where we are today.

>> you guys are all mentally prepared to see this guy? just so you know, you are going to be looking at him in the face here, you know? and all i can tell you is this, i have done this too many times. keep your cool. today is about brittanee, not him. >> now five months after moody confessed to killing brittanee drexel, it's finally judgement day. >> on the day of moody's hearing, we're all there, and it's a big -- it's a team win for everybody. we do the best we can in what a quote, unquote civilized society allows us to do. we hope that's enough for the family. >> hi, there, how are you? >> good to see you, how is everything? >> good, all things considered.

>> good. >> we had an obligation to brittanee, and we had an obligation to dawn and her entire family. >> it feels good to see the hours that are poured in come to a -- somewhat of a resolution point for the family. >> amen. >> amen. >> thank you, gail. >> thanks, gail. >> justice for brittanee is us all being able to look him in the face in the courtroom and telling him that he's taken one of the most special people to all of us, and in such a monstrous way. >> all rise. >> once he walked into that courtroom, i was so angry. >> when i saw him sitting there, i had a lot of rage, a lot of rage.

just trying to keep calm, not be one of those people to lunge. i was imagining a thousand ways to break his neck. >> the matter before you here today is the state of south carolina versus raymond douglas moody. >> the state dropped the obstruction of justice charge, and the hearing was focused on moody's plea on the charges of kidnapping, murder, and criminal sexual conduct in the first degree. >> it's the state's understanding that mr. moody wishes to plead guilty? >> mr. moody, do you want to plead guilty? >> yes, sir. >> your honor, brittanee's mother would like to address the court. >> okay. >> raymond moody finally comes face-to-face with all the pain he has caused. and he'll have to listen to every word. >> today, we know the truth, and

today, mr. moody, you face the consequences for that. brittanee is present. i wear her picture and her ashes around my neck. that's all i have left. that's all we have left after what you did to her. >> he wouldn't even look at me, and i was shaking. i was that mad. >> today, no one wins. forgiveness is not part of this narrative today. i ask you, judge cauthrin, to sentence raymond moody to the fullest extent of the law. not a day less to make sure his last breath is taken in the cage where he belongs, where he will never harm another beautiful girl like britanee again. >> may it please the court, your honor. i believe mr. moody would like to briefly address the court. >> okay.

>> thank you, your honor. >> i did 20 years and eight months. i thought that was enough, but it wasn't. i was a monster then, and i was a monster when i took brittanee drexel's life. i don't have the words to express how horrible i feel. and i've felt ever since that day. >> [ bleep ], [ bleep ]. >> i'm very, very sorry. >> i thought it was [ bleep ]. it's a show for him, that's it. >> i don't buy it. i'm sorry. that's like asking the lion if he's sorry about attacking the gazelle. he's a predator. remorse is not something that someone like ray moody feels. >> it's my job to sentence you

appropriately for the crime of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree. you're committed to the state department of corrections for a term of 30 on kidnapping, you're committed to a term of 30 years. on the crime of murder, sentence of the court has you committed to the state department of corrections for the term of your natural life. >> he is going to serve life imprisonment without possibility of parole. he will never be out on the street again. >> he did what he did, and now he's paying the price, and i'm glad he's locked up where he belongs. >> now that the drexel family has their justice, timothy taylor's family is demanding the same thing. >> now remember, taylor had been living under a shadow of suspicion for nearly six years before moody confessed to the crime. >> fbi got wind from a jailhouse

informant that taylor was allegedly involved in brittanee drexel's disappearance. >> timothy's name and face will forever be linked to brittanee drexel because of a lie. we are still waiting on authorities at all levels to clear the record, saying the words, "timothy taylor is innocent." my son deserves that. >> i feel bad for deshaun. i feel bad for the family. i'm sorry for everything you and deshaun endured. >> nobody wins, as dawn says, but we are so glad that justice was served today. >> thank you. >> thank you, god bless you. >> thank you. >> we have been fortunate to get many answers. some of the answers have raised more questions. >> i don't believe anything he has to say.

skyrizi is the first il-23 inhibitor that can deliver remission and visibly improve damage of the intestinal lining. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine or plan to. liver problems may occur in crohn's disease. control of crohn's means everything to me. ask your gastroenterologist about skyrizi. ♪ control is everything to me ♪ learn how abbvie could help you save. dry skin is sensitive skin, too. and it's natural. treat it that way with aveeno® daily moisture. formulated with nourishing, prebiotic oat. it's clinically proven to moisturize dry skin for 24 hours. aveeno® head to kohl's weekend sale to freshen up for under $30! you'll find stylish so denim for $27.99. for 24 hours. jumping beans tees and shorts for toddler boys at $8.99.

and hamilton beach home faves for $19.99. plus, earn kohl's cash! don't miss three days of deals. now at kohl's. scout is protected by simparica trio and he's in it to win it! simparica trio is the first chew with triple protection. whoa fleas! and ticks! (♪) intestinal worms! whoa! heartworm disease! no problem with simparica trio! this drug class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including seizures. use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. for winning protection— go with simparica trio. ohhh crap. now we gotta get france something. wait! we can use etsy's new gift mode! alright. done. ♪ plateau de fromage! oh la la! don't panic. gift easy with gift mode, new on etsy. pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief.

and now, get max strength topical pain relief precisely where you need it. with new tylenol precise. zyrtec allergy relief works fast and lasts a full 24 hours so dave can be the... deliverer of dance. ok, dave! let's be more than our allergies. zeize the day with zyrtec.

♪ definitely watch your step for snakes. be careful. >> the day after moody's sentencing, the fbi brings the family to the pole yard landing where moody killed brittanee. >> the tent was right here? >> the tent was like right here, he said. right in here. >> this is generally the area that moody pointed out. and this is where he said he had actually raped and killed brittanee. right here. >> despite finally finding brittanee after all these years and ray moody behind bars, her family still wrestles with some questions. >> whatever motivated brittanee

to get into that car, she was immediately separated from her phone. >> in reference to moody, i don't believe anything he has to say. >> we have been fortunate to get many answers to the questions that have been asked, but some of the answers have raised more questions. >> we have to live with this for the rest of our lives. we have to learn how to live with it. >> i wanted to do something beautiful for her, because she was a beautiful person inside and out. >> brittanee would want to be remembered as the person she was before she went missing. she wanted to be remembered as that happy-go-lucky girl who brightened up a room when she walked in. >> i never thought this day would come, but here we are, 13 long years later. when the fbi called me, i was in tears. i said, "thank you so much for finding my daughter."

i would like to honor the fbi agents with this pendant. it as picture of brittanee. and on the back it says, "thank you for finding me." >> there is nobody more singularly responsible for the resolution of this case than dawn drexel. >> she went from being desperate to determined. >> she's my kid. i mean, she was my heart. we brought her home, so now she can rest in peace. >> david: brittanee drexel's mother dawn has filed a civil suit against her daughter's killer, raymond moody. >> deborah: she says it's become her life's mission to help people on missing persons casing and combat human trafficking. that's our report for tonight. thanks so much for watching. i'm deborah roberts. >> david: i'm david muir. for all of us here at "20/20"

and abc news, good night. the front of an ac transit bus smashed and caved in, two cars badly mangled, one a block away, not even on the street. this is the afternoon math of a bad crash in oakland. good evening. thanks for joining us. i'm dan ashley and i'm ama daetz. >> more than a dozen people were injured in the collision that happened at 54th and international boulevard. >> what caused it? we don't know yet, but many of the injured were taken to the hospital. here's abc seven news reporter tara campbell, a head on collision friday evening in east oakland. >> an ac transit bus and car colliding sky seven, capturing the aftermath as emergency crews responded