Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Missing in Myrtle Beach’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fatal Destination,’ the focus is on a teenager named Brittanee Drexel, who vanishes during her Spring Break getaway to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As her family members tried their best to get to the bottom of the case along with the authorities, it took more than a decade for them to solve the mystery and apprehend the perpetrator, Raymond Moody. The documentary delves deep into the investigation and the impact Brittanee’s passing had on her loved ones through the exclusive interviews with her relatives and friends.
Raymond Moody Confessed to the Police and Led Them to Brittanee Drexel’s Remains
Born around 1960, Raymond Moody managed to remain free from the clutches of justice for several years after killing 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel on April 25, 2009. On the fateful day, he had reportedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted the Chili teenager, who was visiting Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for spring break, before strangling her to death. The following day, he was stopped by the authorities in a beach town near Myrtle Beach for a traffic violation, but nothing more. When her family couldn’t get in touch with her, they reported her missing. In the initial years of the investigation, the detectives considered Raymond a person of interest as he was a registered sex offender who had served 21 years behind bars for the abduction and rape of a 9-year-old Californian girl in 1983.
However, due to a lack of any concrete evidence against him, he could not be charged. For years, the case remained cold. Finally, in 2022, the investigation led the detectives to a woman named Angel Vause, Raymond’s former girlfriend. They convinced her to wear a wire while conversing with the suspect, which allowed them to obtain a search warrant for his house. Unfortunately, the search led them nowhere. But it ultimately led to Raymond’s chilling confession. In early May 2022, he surrendered himself to the authorities and confessed to his involvement in the murder of Brittanee Drexel in 2009. As per his accounts, he and Angel approached the teenager and invited her to the party with them. Once Brittanee entered their vehicle, they drove down to a campsite in Georgetown County and smoked marijuana.
The registered sex offender claimed that when Angel left the campsite, he made a move on Brittanee. He added that when the latter resisted, he sexually assaulted her and strangled her to death. He alleged that he proceeded to wrap her remains in a blanket and dispose of them in a nearby bush. When Angel returned to the campsite, he allegedly told her that Brittanee’s friends had picked her up. He told the detectives that they left the site, but he returned a few hours later and moved the remains to the woods off a gated private drive outside Georgetown, about 35 miles south of Myrtle Beach, and buried them. After his confession, Raymond also led the police to the burial site, where they found the teenager’s remains on May 11, 2022. Thus, he was charged with murder, kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and obstructing justice.
Raymond Moody Was Brought to Justice For His Gruesome Crimes
A few months later, on October 19, 2022, the registered sex offender, Raymond Moody, pleaded guilty to the charges against him in a South Carolina courtroom. During the hearing, the prosecution presented the judge with details regarding the killer’s confession and how he had led them to the burial site of Brittanee Drexel. They revealed how technological advancements and a surveillance video of a vehicle led them to zero in on Raymond and his girlfriend, Angel Vause. Before the sentencing hearing, the victim’s family members gave emotional and powerful victim impact statements.
While Brittanee’s adoptive father called the convict a “perverted sick monster,” her mother, Dawn Pleckan, addressed him directly, stating, “I am so glad my daughter was feisty and fought back. She fought for her life. We know now she scratched the hell out of your face, head, and neck. You will forever carry the scars of what my daughter did to you and I hope you are haunted by her.” She also requested the judge to punish him with the maximum sentence and hoped that he would live the rest of his life in suffering and misery. While on the stand, she told him, “You are a disgrace to your parents, your own children, your family, and any friends you have left. You are a serial rapist and a child predator, and you should be ashamed of your actions.”
After the victim impact statements, Raymond Moody was granted the opportunity to address the court before the judge sentenced him. Talking about his previous conviction and sentencing in connection to the abduction and rape of a 9-year-old girl, he stated, “I served 20 years and I thought it was enough, but it wasn’t. I was a monster then, and I was a monster when I took Brittanee Drexel’s life.” Expressing remorse for the crimes he had committed, the killer added, “I don’t have the words to express how horrible I feel and I have felt ever since that day. I’m very sorry.” In the end, the judge sentenced Raymond to life in prison for the murder conviction and two consecutive terms of 30 years for the kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct charges.
Raymond Moody is Currently Incarcerated at a South Carolina Prison Facility
On November 13, 2024, Raymond gave another detailed confession, claiming that his then-girlfriend, Angel Vause, was also present on the site when he sexually assaulted and killed Brittanee Drexel. He claimed that his confession was not out of spite for Angel, but to ensure that his grandchildren were taken care of by the state. In late February 2025, he again stood trial for a civil lawsuit filed by the teenager’s mother. The defendant, who did not put up a defense, said, “I’m at a loss for words and I have so much regret,” said Moody in court. “And I realize it doesn’t matter how sincere I am about how I feel about things I’ve done, it’s not enough.” The jury ultimately ruled that he owed her a total of $700 million — $500 million in punitive damages and $200 million in actual damages. As of today, he is serving his sentence at Lieber Correctional Institute in Ridgeville, South Carolina.
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