On May 14, 2008, nineteen year old Brandon Swanson disappeared from Marshall, Minnesota, approximately at 2:00 a.m. He has never been seen or heard from again, and the lack of evidence in his mysterious vanishing has puzzled family, friends, authorities, and websleuths alike.
Brandon was enrolled at Minnesota West Community and Technical College located in Canby, Minnesota -- a population of 1,000 plus residents. It was there where Brandon was enrolled in a wind turbine program. He had made the necessary arrangements to transfer to Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a few months later in August 2008, where his overall goal was to enroll in a four year planned university to follow his passion in science(s).
Since it was the last day of classes, Brandon and other friends and acquaintances decided to celebrate the joyous occasion. Later on in the late hours of the evening, roughly between 12:00 - 12:30 a.m., Brandon was on his way back home to Marshall, Minnesota -- living with his mother and father -- when he accidentally wrecked his vehicle by driving in a ditch on a graveled road, ultimately getting stuck.
He made multiple attempts to call his friends for assistance, but nobody answered their phones. Subsequently, he called his parents, Brian and Annette Swanson for help. He assured his family that he wasn't injured and everything was seemingly fine; just unable to get his vehicle back on the road.
He also informed his parents that he was near the small town of Lynd, a relatively short commute southwest of Marshall, Minnesota. Throughout this entire timeframe, Brandon remained on the line with his father. When his parents arrived to the location Brandon said he was at, they started flashing their headlights to indicate their presence. However, Brandon told his father he couldn't see their vehicle anywhere in sight.
Brandon himself made the same attempt as his father -- getting into his own car and flashing his lights in hopes of being seen, yet the end result was the same as the previous attempt. Everyone was getting progressively frustrated over this incident, and that's when Brandon made the initiative to abandon his vehicle and walk towards the town of Lynd where a nearby friend lived -- telling his father he knew where he was heading, and also said that from his perspective, he could see the night lights of the town.
As Brandon was walking down the (gravel) road, he was still on the phone with his father; a conversation that lasted for 47 minutes until Brian heard his son say, "Oh, shit" before the call suddenly ended at 2:10 a.m. according to phone records. He tried calling his son back, but Brandon never answered the call(s). With concern, his parents continued searching frantically for hours on end, but with results turning up empty, they decided it was best to notify authorities at 6:30 a.m. for assistance.
QUICK SIDE NOTE:
There are various reports that appear to be a red-herring in my opinion, stating that after the event involving the flashing of headlights from both parties, Brandon's father dropped his mother off back at home. Then, there are other articles not even mentioning that and subsequently leading to confusing paragraphs that say, "Brandon's father and mother continued their search for him," etc. I refrained from using that particular statement because it takes away from the actual timeframe and apparent phone call conversations.
If Brandon's parents went searching for their son at 12:30 a.m. which lead to a drive to the assumed location of where their son was, yet unfortunately wasn't there, so the father decides taking his wife back home, and continue pursuing Brandon -- who officially vanished in terms of final conversation at 2:10 a.m. -- with failing results, did he pick up his wife again? It's a very confusing issue in terms of an accurate timeline of events.
END SIDE NOTE
With the police now involved in the search for Brandon, they were able to locate his vehicle by using cell phone records. In a strange turn of events, he wasn't even remotely close to Lynd, where he initially believed. In fact, he was twenty miles away north of his suggested destination.
Since Brandon was confused on his whereabouts, the most prevalent theory was that during his walk, he accidently fell into the Yellow Medicine River that was close by. At the time, the water was at its deepest level it could reach -- fifteen feet -- and was also flowing quite rapidly.
Nevertheless, throughout the numerous searches conducted for Brandon, which included more than five hundred volunteers, aerial views by airplanes and helicopters, and of course on the ground work by many forms, such as footwork, horseback, ATV/four wheelers, nothing has been unearthed that would provide any substantial clues on Brandon's disappearance.
Eventually, authorities called off the search, thus family and friends of Brandon took up the mantle, using their own money and determination to organize multiple searches for whomever wanted to participate. This consisted of more scouring on the ground with countless dog handlers varying from state to state, and a plethora of areas that included water. One hundred square miles were covered overall, yet the only possible clue was Brandon's scent being tracked upward to Porter, Minnesota -- a six mile drive from his last known location in Taunton, MN.
The police released a statement saying there has been no evidence found that would indicate foul play or perhaps an act of staging a disappearance on Brandon's part. Although not the general consensus, some authorities genuinely believe an accidental misstep lead to Brandon falling into the Yellow Medicine River. Nonetheless, until evidence suggests that particular answer, it cannot be officially determined.
Despite the extensive searches that have been conducted, especially in a huge span of miles, there have been unfortunate complications that could possibly provide answers. For instance, one obstacle is the hassle of property protection in fields that contains crops, which also doesn't help that Brandon's search was done in a particular rainy season which can help hide evidence.
Also in the fields near Brandon's disappearance are places that could give shelter if you are stranded, such as pastures that include barns, etc. Again, this proves somewhat difficult due to landowners allowing or not searches being conducted on their property.
CLOSING THOUGHTS AND THEORIES
There are no shortage of theories regarding Bradon's disappearance, so I am going to close with a few thoughts of my own and let you -- the readers -- share your opinions on this bizarre case.
The police have stated that Brandon more than likely was not intoxicated during his disappearance, and that includes the drive home and moments before he left. For that, I tend to agree with that sentiment.
For one, the friends he was spending his evening with prior to the tragedy, reported Brandon to be quite sober. He had a drink, but it wasn't enough to produce disorientation. From what I have read, it seems as if he had one beer, and possibly one shot of whiskey. However, it's unclear on the time passed between each drink. Nevertheless, whiskey does work in a haste.
Regardless, it's still not entirely enough to produce impairment. That might be an irrational judgment on my part, because I suppose it depends on the person themself, which many factors include height, body weight, tolerance, etc. That being said, as an adult myself who has had the occasional drink here and there, two shots of whiskey has me quite relaxed, but it's not enough to bring confusion.
Not only that, Brandon's father also told authorities that his speech was normal. There was no slurring of words and although frustrated due to the circumstances of the minor crash into a ditch, his demeanor sounded typical as always.
For some reason the theory doesn't get brought up, but since Brandon's remains haven't been found, thus meaning it's impossible to say what was in Brandon's system, is it possible he had a mixture of drugs with his alcohol? To be clear, I'm not suggesting that he partook in drugs; only suggesting the possibility (benzo's, by the way -- not hard drugs). Granted, that would more than likely hinder his speech, but depending on what particular medication, it might not have taken effect until an hour or two later.
Personally, I don't put much stock in the impaired theory, yet it's hard to come up with a convincing alternative on why Brandon was confused on his whereabouts and went in the wrong direction to his home. Keep in mind, he knew these areas quite well, meaning that getting lost is incredibly peculiar. Was he dealing with exhaustion and fatigue? Those two things combined with the small doses of alcohol consumed could play a factor.
As for accidentally falling into water and subsequently drowning, that is one of the more logical theories. My problem with this answer is the phone call. If Brandon landed in the water, surely his father would hear a splash during the conversation. That could help conclude the reason Brandon's phone call abruptly ended. The battery would be destroyed. Also, wouldn't the police be able to trace his ping? If possible, shouldn't the ping be last located precisely at the Yellow Medicine River or another body of water?
The anecdote to that certain theory could be falling in the water, dropping his phone in the process, but manages to swim to safety and proceeds to take shelter in the closest safe haven he could find, but unfortunately succumbs to hypothermia. The question remains, though: If escaping from the river, and being incredibly cold due to that incident, why not make a Beeline back to the car and immediately turn the heater on? While this seems logical now from the outsider's point of view, being in the moment is an entirely different story. And again, the lack of remains can't definitively give a proper answer on this explanation.
The next theory is an attack from a wild animal, and injuring Brandon, then carries him away. While interesting, there would have been evidence. If not from blood or articles of clothing partially torn, then scents from search dogs. It's known that dogs involved in the search party tracked his scent north of his disappearance. Wouldn't they pick up another animals smell as well?
Now, what is the likelihood of Brandon being abducted? This theory is plausible. Unknowingly to Brandon, he thought his location was in Lynd, which turned out to be false. That misconception could explain the town lights he thought he witnessed, which essentially musters the question: What were those lights? It could have been porch lights, yet that is unlikely because of distance. That leaves the answer being headlights.
To reiterate for another time, if the lights were actually from a vehicle, there should had been enough time to not only hear a commotion on the other end of the phone line. Rather than saying, "Oh, shit," why not also plead for your father's help? Moreover, there would be an even bigger incentive to either not turn off the cell phone, let alone stopping the conversation immediately.
In terms of evidence, there are two glaring issue that hardly gets mentioned. The police arrived at the scene hours later, and they surmised there was no evidence indicating foul play. While that may be so, a counter to that is the gravel road itself. The crime scene itself had already been tampered, whether by police or mere passerbys. Vehicles coming and going would ultimately blow the gravel in different directions and possibly be stuck on the tires of those cars.
Another interesting point that bothers me is the tone of Brandon when on the phone conversing with his father. When saying, "Oh, shit," how did those words reflect the situation? Did it express signs of terror and panic or just an act of accidentally tripping? Saying those two words could be perceived in many notions, which although mildly insignificant, might help generate new theories.
Nonetheless, it has been close to ten years, yet authorities are no closer solving this case now as they were in the beginning. His parents remain diligent and continue to show uplifting resilience. They haven't given up the hope on finding their son, and even to this day they leave their front porch light on, praying that Brandon will eventually come home. With this everlasting willpower, a positive light from this tragedy did happen. That blessing is titled, Brandon's Law, which is dedicated towards immediate searches for those who are reported missing in unusual and endangered circumstances in the state of Minnesota.
If you'd like to read more information on this case, here are some links.
http://thesearchforbrandon.blogspot.com/https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/User:Jeff_Hasse/Missing_Person_Case_Study_--_Brandon_Swanson 39 commentssharesavehidegive awardreportcrosspost
One of my theories is he died on someone's property and they removed the body, or it has never been found. Maybe he fell into a pit or in-ground storage unit that hadn't been sealed. Time and neglect will cover-up any evidence. or if he was found, the land-owner might have covered it up to avoid a criminal charge. Something similar happened in my home area, though there were no criminal charges brought because the man had been drunk and trespassing when he died. Also the farmer reported it immediately and so the police and his family were less inclined to pursue charges over a tragic accident.
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[–]rissaro0o 2 points 2 years ago
Definitely. I agree with this, I've also thought this about another case, can't for the life of me remember the name of the poor fellow. It was the young man who was driving, pulled over, and called 911. The recorded call was extremely chilling because you couldn't understand a lot of what he was saying; very open ended in regard to other people being there and being involved. I feel that both of these young men maybe wandered away from their vehicles and died due to exposure or perhaps foul play, and that property owners either found the bodies and disposed of them, or would not allow police to search in fear of being sued or charged with endangerment.
EDIT: foul not fowl lol
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[–]r_barchetta 11 points 2 years ago*
You're thinking of Brandon Lawson. Strange coincidence on how similar the names are. Quite a few sub reddits out there on this one.
True Crime Garage just did a good 2 part episode on this if you want to listen to their line by line analysis of the 911 call.
Edit: added podcast info.
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[–]rissaro0o 1 point 2 years ago
Damn! That's triply as hell. So strange how similar! Definitely gonna check that out. Very interesting case
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[–]goldcn 10 points 2 years ago
I have actually been on a volunteer search of the area, and one of my professors has been volunteering with this case for years. This seems to be the concensus. This, or the river. Additionally, with farmland, it's possible the lamdowner had no idea if his body was or wasn't on the property, and could've been turned over into the dirt with the farm equipment when the seasons changed.
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[–]doris5 2 points 2 years ago
/r/brandonswanson
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[–]Evangitron 5 points 2 years ago
I know myself it would take a large dose of Xanax and drinks to slur so it's hard to say but I do t think he was impaired enough to make a big mistake but if he was given a roofie that hit maybe. Or someone drugged him and messed with his car or the road to trap him. I don't believe it was any animal attack or accident unless someone killed him by accident and I know the dogs supposedly led to the water then back down to some farm building and apparently his phone kept working which shouldn't be the case had he fallen in the water. Did the cops go to his car at night and see what lights he was seeing or was it a one time light like someone parked? Did he come on a crime or body and need to hide hence the oh shit? Cause we know his battery didn't die.
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[–]Astrolabe11 15 points 2 years ago
Great write-up, thanks for that.
I have always wondered about the context of the Oh Shit too. There's a big difference between the sort of OS somebody would utter if they just stubbed their toe against a stone, and the OS they would utter if they suddenly spotted a bear in front of them, or fell down an embankment.
Only the dad can answer that one, but having said that, he's probably gone over it so many times in his head that he can't remember clearly anymore just what the tone of the words were.
What a shame that we don't have a recording of it
![Грустно :(](/forum/Smileys/default/ac.gif)
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[–]prosa123 2 points 2 years ago
It's a very perplexing case. Of all the theories falling in the river seems the most logical. I would like to know if indeed a body could be carried far downstream and snagged underwater. The police conducted an experiment with a dummy of Brandon's size and found that it wouldn't go far, but I really don't know how conclusive that would be.
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[–]hectorabaya 11 points 2 years ago
If it was an animal attack (it almost certainly wasn't), the search dogs would detect that animal's scent but they probably wouldn't do anything with it. SAR dogs are typically trained to ignore animal scents because otherwise you'd be wasting too much time dealing with irrelevant alerts or following up on false leads. Some dogs might get excited about it and their handlers might be able to pick that up in their body language, but a lot of things can cause that so it wouldn't mean that there was an animal attack.
An animal attack is highly improbable for multiple reasons, but I wanted to point that out. I'd honestly rank foul play above animal attack in this situation, and I really don't think it was foul play.
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[–]bz237 0 points 2 years ago
I don't get why anyone thinks this is anything other than falling into a river. There is a decent sized river running right through the area he was walking. He was intoxicated. He said 'oh shit'.
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[–]Nerdfather1 8 points 2 years ago
He more than likely wasn't intoxicated. Friends mentioned that, and his speech on the phone indicates that as well.
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[–]bz237 3 points 2 years ago
Really? I'll have to back and read up but I thought he was drinking at a party right before he got in his car.
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[–]Nerdfather1 3 points 2 years ago
Yes, but one beer. His friends reported him being particularly sober. His father was on the phone with him for 47 plus minutes. If he was drunk/intoxicated, it would have been noticeable, not only by friends, but through phone conversation. His speech wasn't muddled and slurring or anything of that nature. He was well under the limit of being intoxicated.
I understand that from our perspective it's a logical conclusion to make and rightfully so. But from all accounts, he was quite sober.
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[–]bz237 2 points 2 years ago
Ah ha. Well it doesn't change what I ultimately think happened but good info and thank you. I'll have to go back and read up. Good post as always nerdfather.
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[–]nclou 10 points 2 years ago
I don't think you can assume how sober he was because of the conversation. I carried on many "sober" conversations with my parents in high school while being fairly intoxicated.
I'd be curious to know if he got drunk around his father. If you are around someone drunk and sober, it becomes pretty easy to pick up on the differences. However, when you don't have familiarity with someone in a drunk state, and aren't assuming they're drunk, often the differences can be pretty subtle.
After all... he was at least impaired/confused enough to get very, very lost.
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[–]-Copenhagen- 9 points 2 years ago
Not all drunk people slur their words. I've seen it mentioned that people at the party said he was drinking, and that he was taking back roads to avoid the police on the highway.
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[–]Nerdfather1 3 points 2 years ago
I won't fully say he wasn't intoxicated, because ultimately, I cannot make that judgment. It has been mentioned that he was drinking at the party, but from everything I've read, it wasn't enough to warrant intoxication. They said before he left he appeared fine and sober.
Again, I could be wrong and even his friends, and although being drunk/intoxicated is a logical conclusion for Brandon's disappearance, it can't be officially determined. While it's the Occam's Razor, until remains are found I won't definitively say he accidentally fell into water, given that many searches have been conducted -- especially in watered areas.
Who knows, though? You could be right. I can't fault you for having that opinion
![Улыбаюсь :)](/forum/Smileys/default/ab.gif)
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[–]nclou 4 points 2 years ago
I think the fact he was lost in an area he should have known indicates some impairement... enough to fall in a river for sure.
I imagine the Oh Shit being the reaction to losing footing and sliding down a bank.
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[–]Weeeeeman 14 points 2 years ago
I think his friends said he wasn't drunk because he was driving, they didn't want to get him into any more trouble when he turned up (sadly that never happened)
He was driving in the complete opposite direction of where he lived, he crashed his car and was taking back roads to avoid police attention.
The above points seal it for me, I'd say there was more likely hood of him being intoxicated than not.
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[–]ChucoShark 9 points 2 years ago
I agree with this. I expect he was some level of drunk that night and the friends didn't want him in trouble or thought of differently. As an example, my best friend in my 20s died of a cocaine overdose. In the weeks and months after I would have told you she was a saint. I would have blamed 1billion different things for her death. Many years have past since then and yeah, now I can say that woman loved coke and totally killed herself.
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[–]-Copenhagen- 7 points 2 years ago
I think he was drunk, stepped in a hole or something, lost his footing, dropped his phone, couldn't find it, kept going, fell into the river, drowned/got hypothermia, body was swept downstream. It seems pretty unlikely that he was attacked by an animal, and even more likely that he was abducted.
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[–]Nerdfather1 3 points 2 years ago
I'm not saying he was attacked by an animal, just throwing theories out there that have been mentioned before. As for abduction, it's unlikely as well, but also plausible. Remember, Brandon did report seeing lights in his direction to where he was walking. He thought it was the town, but that was wrong due to his location. Could it have been porch lights or headlights? It's an interesting thing to think about. But, if in some type of genuine danger, I'd like to know how his tone was when saying, "Oh, shit."
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[–]nclou 1 point 2 years ago
I don't see how you could mistake headlights or porch lights for town lights, but I don't know the area.
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[–]travtrav1313 2 points 2 years ago
Yea, I don't understand how you could mistake porch/car lights for town lights. But, him being legally blind in one eye and possibly intoxicated... maybe it messed with his depth perception and vision. If that was the case, he could have been looking at a big farm close by, lit up... thinking it was town lights further away. But who knows... unfortunately it's just all speculation. I hope they find him, for his family sake... give them some closure.
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[–]deathdeparting 29 points 2 years ago
To me this seems like a very tragic accident where the skeleton/remains will never be found. I take the same bus route to and from college every week day, and sometimes I go to get off at the wrong stop a good 4 miles away from my home because there's an estate that looks just like an estate in my home town. Say Brandon saw a grove of trees, or a street or something that looked like a familiar aspect of Lynd, during the night with limited visibility, he'd probably assume he was near Lynd. In the dark, it's super easy to take a wrong step, I think he most likely slipped, fell into the river and got swept away or drowned. Since it was at its deepest and was moving quickly that night, his body could have gotten pretty bashed up in the water and his remains might have ended up at different points along the river, just fragments and bones that'll never be found. Very sad, but probably an Occam's Razor case.
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[–]non_stop_disko 1 point 2 years ago
Does anybody here think he drowned in the river? I know that it was searched and nothing was found but I'm having trouble believing foul play or some sort of accident where they can't find his body
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[–]Nerdfather1 2 points 2 years ago
Most people believe he drowned in the river. While it's a logical conclusion, since the body wasn't found after multiple searches, it can't be official. I don't think he drowned, but it's entirely plausible. One thing that bothers me is the lights Brandon saw. He thought it was the town lights from a distance, but it wasn't. So, what were they? Headlights? Porch lights? Barn lights? That little detail goes ignored.
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[–]non_stop_disko 1 point 2 years ago
Oh yeah I'm not saying that I think it should be official. That's just my personal theory because I'm an Occams Razor kind of gal but I'm always open for new ideas so I'm glad you put so much in your post
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[–]bruegeldog 4 points 2 years ago
If he wasn't intoxicated, how did he end up so lost?
Maybe someone saw him flashing the lights and thought he was up to something nefarious, creeped down the road and got him.
Would you notice/feel a body driving a tractor?
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[–]emptysee 3 points 2 years ago
I've ran over body sized logs before in thick brush. I definitely felt it and looked over to make sure the tractor was going to make it over ok. I suppose if you knew the land had a lot of rough stuff to get caught on or you were just really confident rolling around, you wouldn't pay it attention.
You'd notice, but not necessarily stop to look.
Personally I think he fell in the river. A person attacking him or an animal attack wouldn't cut out like dropping your phone into water. I suppose he could've fallen into an old well, that would explain the phone's signal loss as well.
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[–]BMGPmusicisbad 1 point 2 years ago*
Odds are anyway you'd hear something besides the Oh Shit if an attack or fall, or gun being put to his head. Of course, unless the phone took a direct hit in just the right way as to separate the battery from the housing, or if a fall into a river was the case, the phone dropping into the water before he landed in it, might produce little or no obvious noise. His parents did try to call him back, but I don't recall if it rang or went straight to VM, either or scenario is telling as far as the fate of the phone goes. And at this point almost ten years later the case has morphed into widely varying speculation, mismatch reports and what if's
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[–]TopherMarlowe 9 points 2 years ago
Quick point of accuracy: he was not on the gravel road when he said Oh shit and the phone went dead. He had left the road and struck out across farm fields towards the lights he thought were the town of Lynd.
So theories about someone on the road hitting him with a car and hiding his body (which I have seen elsewhere) wouldn't work.
Regarding the phone being turned back on later, I have seen that mentioned on this sub, and have asked for a source, but one has never been provided. If anyone has one, please link. Until then, I lean towards believing that his phone ran out of battery life or was damaged.
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[–]XXI-X-MCMXCVIII 7 points 2 years ago
This was always such a weird case. So many things that don't add up.
Personally, I think he stumbled and fell into something, whether it be a river, a hole in the ground, some sort of shaft, whatever. If he did indeed stumble and fall into something, the fact he was legally blind in his left (IIRC) eye and that he had some alcohol on board would support this theory.
I really want to say he wasn't murdered and there was no foul play involved because, honestly, I haven't read any decent evidence that's swayed my mind towards that conclusion. However; we can't rule anything out.
I honestly believe this guy was just a bit too drunk (which would explain his disorientation, his "accident" in the ditch), he's become frustrated when his parents couldn't find him, he went to walk back to his friends place (I assume mistaking wherever he has heading for Lynd, where he actually wanted to go), and, being drunk/tipsy, and blind in one eye, fell into the river/a hole/shaft.
Just my opinion formed from what I've read on this case. A very interesting, but frustrating one.
If anyone's interested, this is a good video compiling the evidence/facts of the case and presenting them in an easy to understand manner.
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[–]BMGPmusicisbad 2 points 2 years ago*
Oh, well in this video it is reported that calls to the phone would ring ~2 days after he was last seen... were they not able to triangulate and determine at least an approximate location that much time after? This report also has implications against things like water damage, submersion, etc. Was there any rain in these 2 days? If so this would suggest the phone was protected from the elements or in someone's possession. Actual results vary when one calls a cell phone as far as if it rings, or how many times it rings on the end of the person making the call, before it goes to voice mail. If it were a half of a ring or something that wouldnt necessarily mean the phone is actually turned on, but any more than that would suggest strongly that it was on.
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[–]IzabellaBelle 5 points 2 years ago
I used to be baffled as to what could have caused him to say "oh shit!" before the call abruptly ended. However, now I think it could just have been that his battery died? Maybe it flashed up on his phone and he knew it was about to go and that's why he said that, then moments later it died. As for Brandon, I think it probably was an accident somehow rather than foul play.
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[–]BMGPmusicisbad 2 points 2 years ago
I am of the opinion that perhaps he started out on his drive only mildly impaired, early on around midnight, after perhaps a few drinks over a few hours, as reflected by quasi-honest yet maybe euphamistic reports that state things specific like "one beer and one shot of whiskey". He may have, as is said, taken back roads to be on the safe side. I contend that at night it is very easy to get turned around and lost even sober, by straying from main roads. He probably sobered up fully as it approached 1-2am but by then it didn't matter because he had gotten himself into an unfamiliar and dark area, so his later judgements and choices remained impacted by his earlier moves.
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[–]uoht 1 point 2 years ago*
What about this? Instead of falling into the river at once, maybe when he said "oh shit", he just tripped over something or lost his footing in what I assume to be wet land (i assume since a river was mentioned, I don't know anything about the area) and exclaimed "oh shit" and in the process of recovering his balance, the button to disconnect the call got pressed (did he have a touchscreen phone or a buttons one?). So now the call got disconnected without any other sound except "oh shit". Then he began to lose his footing further in the wet path beside the river and fell into the river.
To disprove this, we would need the info about how much time passed between uttering "oh shit" and the disconnection of the call. Less than 1-2 seconds? My theory has a chance. More than that? My theory is wrong.
Edit: so another comment in the askreddit thread I came here from mentions a creek in the area. Maybe he fell down that instead of the river. In any case, my process is the same. Lost footing, muttered "oh shit", accidentally pressed call disconnect button in the process of regaining balance, call got disconnected, then before having the chance to redial or answer his father's redial, lost footing more severely and fell down a river or creek. That explains a normal "oh shit" without any urgency or fear.
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[–]SerWind 1 point 2 years ago
Not sure what the rules are for necroing a thread or if someone mentioned it but I thought of a theory that would probably be the most distressing outcome.
Lights are a vehicle. Vehicle hits Brandon accidentally immediately destroying the phone/killing Brandon (hopefully in this scenario), driver gets, freaks, and grabs the body plus phone. Rain would account for the lack of blood.