Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver announced during a Monday press conference that Drexel’s body was found on May 11 — and that police have charged 62-year-old Raymond Moody with murder.
Drexel’s parents were present for Monday’s announcement.
“This is truly a mother’s worst nightmare,” Dawn Drexel told reporters. “I am mourning my beautiful daughter today, as I have for the last 13 years. We are much closer to the peace that I have been hoping for.”
In addition to the murder charge, Moody is also charged with with kidnapping and sexual misconduct.
Brittanee Drexel.Myrtle Beach Police Department via AP
Weaver said his officers “mourn with you and pray with you as you cope with the tragedies of 13 years ago. No one deserves to go through this, and our heart goes out to you.
All of Moody’s alleged crimes took place on April 25, 2009, Weaver said.
Raymond Moody.Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators believe Brittanee was killed before being buried on April 26, 2009.
Moody has been in custody on $100,000 bail since his May 4 arrest on an obstruction charge.
He had been identified as a possible person of interest in the investigation way back in 2012.
Weaver said that Brittanee’s remains were identified through dental records.
A cause of death was not discussed. Weaver did not take questions from reporters.
Speaking at the press conference, Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock said that finding Brittanee’s remains was bittersweet, as authorities had been hoping for a happier ending.
Drexel was still a high school student when she left her hometown of Chili, N.Y., with friends for Myrtle Beach, where she planned to visit relatives. Buther parents had no ideashe was traveling so far.
“I didn’t know she was going,” her mother, Dawn,previously told PEOPLE. “The day she left she was angry with me because she asked me if she could go and I told her no. I said, ‘There’s no adults going and I have no idea who these kids are and I don’t feel comfortable with it.’ "
“I told her I just felt something was going to happen to her,” Dawn said. “I just felt it.”
Drexel was last seen on surveillance video leaving a beachfront hotel in Myrtle Beach.
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According tothe Democrat and Chronicle, Moody is a registered sex offender who spent 21 years in prison following a 1983 abduction and rape case in California involving a 9-year-old girl.
His previous bond has been revoked, and he is now being held with no bail.
Moody has not yet entered pleas to the charges, and it was unclear if he had an attorney.
source: people.com
