They decided to put in a countywide request so the search could be expanded, bringing in the Office of Lyon County Sheriff Joel Dahl. It was the beginning of what Hasse calls the most well-documented and detailed search ever conducted. Early Life On January 30, 1989, he was born in Marshall, the seat of Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. He disappeared outside of Marshall when he was 19. "The Mysterious Disappearance Of Minnesota College Student Brandon Swanson,". With all of this, Brandon could have been more confused than we were aware of. It was a cold night. Photo courtesy of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Unfortunately, no one has been able to answer that for certain. Minnesota's Unsolved Missing Person and Homicide Cases 2023. At the rivers edge, the dogs lost Brandons scent, indicating he may have gone in the water. However, once they arrive to Brandons location, he is nowhere to be found. Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555, This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. If he fell into the water along with his cellphone, all calls would have gone straight to voicemail. Star Tribune, p. 1B. I mean, you could place a call and it would ring before turning over to voicemail, Lyon County Sheriff Eric Wallen said. Search, Rescue and Recovery Resources of Minnesota is a source of information about a wide variety of established organizations that exist to provide search, rescue and recovery services. "When you have lost somebody but you have no answers, theres no knowing where they are or even what happened to them, said Annette Swanson. Brandon Swanson was last seen in the early hours of May 14, 2008 leaving a friends house in Canby, Minn. His destination was just 35 miles away a straight shot to his Marshall, Minn. home. He reassured them that he was not injured and that the car did not have any damage, but he needed help getting the car free. "When he initially called them he said I am between Marshall and Lynd, come get me, said Hasse. His body would have been discovered in the wide, open fields. Yup, it definitely sounds like murder. Annette Swanson smiles when she looks at pictures of her son Brandon. Brandon was only 19 years old when he went missing. It's a complication they're still trying to solve today. Each one left Long's hand with plenty of time on the clock . Numerous searches have been conducted of the area and bodies of water surrounding the location where Brandon's car was found. The most recent major search effort was conducted August 7-8, 2010. With no body and very little evidence, it is impossible to know what happened to Brandon, leaving every possibility open for speculation. The Yellow Medicine River is knee-deep in some areas and up to 15 feet deep in others (Weed, 2010, p. 2). He and his wife began calling Brandons friends, who also rushed to the area to search for him in the dark night. Citing the emotional toll of their sons disappearance and the accompanying difficulty of the holiday season Brian Swanson and Annette Swanson chose not to comment for this story. #truecrime #truecrimetiktok #crimetok #missing #unsolved #brandonswanson #justice #fyp #minnesota #missing411". But he was also unable to get his car back on the road. Brandon started walking. Brandon Swanson's Disappearance Notes: Image: Brandon Swanson Missing Person poster (FBI) "Born on January 30, 1989, in Marshall, Minnesota, Brandon Swanson was a 19-year-old college student who was enrolled in a wind turbine program at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Canby. According to official statistics, in the US alone 2,300 people go missing every day. The Disappearance of Brandon Swanson December 11, 2014 angelomarcos crime, mystery, true crime As a crime writer, I do a lot of research into real life crimes and unsolved cases. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. If you or someone you know has any information that could lead to the discovery of Brandon Swanson, please call the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office (Minnesota) at 1-507-694-1664 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5687). Darrin E. Delzer, a volunteer firefighter at the time, brought up his own theory that perhaps Brandon slipped and fell into an unmarked well or reservoir. Being a native of Marshall, he graduated from Marshall High School in 2007. Wallen would not indicate specifics regarding an alleged argument.Wallen said all tips are followed up on, regardless of how many separate people have come forward. "I believe he fell, got wet, cell phone went dead, said Hasse. No alcohol or illegal drugs were found in the vehicle. His parents lobbied for change due to the delayed response time from police, causing a new law in Brandons name to be written, requiring law enforcement to respond to a missing persons report immediately, regardless of the persons age. Shortly after midnight on May 14, 2008, Brandon Swanson (born January 30, 1989) [1] of Marshall, Minnesota, United States, drove his car into a ditch on his way home from celebrating the end of the spring semester with fellow students from Minnesota West Community and Technical College 's Canby campus. "So weve got huge amounts of scent in here, said Hasse as he points at a map. He would start walking in the direction of the lights. Inside The Mysterious Disappearance Of Brandon Lawson, Who Vanished From A Highway In Texas Published March 29, 2022 Updated April 18, 2022 After Brandon Lawson ran out of gas in the dead of night on rural Route 277, he made a series of strange phone calls and was never seen again. I think he continued walking. On December 23, 1974, Rachel Trlica, Renee Wilson, and Julie Ann Moseley went Christmas shopping. Within the last year, the Sheriffs Office and BCA have received additional tips, although he points out that not all tips are new for investigators. If Brandon was injured or killed in an accident that evening, where could his remains be? If given the opportunity to move onto cattle property that has not yet been searched, Anderson said theyd be quick to accept that offer. Missing in Massachusetts: The Case of Neo Maximus AKA Charlie Allen Jr. While sympathetic to the concerns of cattle farmers, Anderson acknowledges it still leaves holes in a search that has received the dedication of many. Annette describes what its like when you have a loved one who is missing. Brandon Swanson was born on January 30, 1989, in Marshall, Minnesota, U.S., a son to Brain and Annette Swanson. Seven-year-old Kyron Horman went missing from his elementary school on June 4, 2010, and hasn't been seen since. ", "Its a straight shot down Highway 68, said Search Manager Jeff Hasse with Midwest Technical Rescue Training. Eventually, Hasse was called to manage the search. Brian drove Anita home, and promised to meet Brandon in the parking lot of a bar at the edge of town. The farmers pretty much have this thou shalt not between this time and this time, and we still work it out as best we can, but it has exacerbated our search abilities, Anderson said. Because it was assumed Brandon had fallen into the river, the search focused around the Yellow Medicine River and the surrounding area. According to them, it was not uncommon for a nineteen-year-old to stay out all night after finishing classes. At this occasion, Brandons friends report that the alcohol was flowing a little bit more, and that they remember Brandon having one or maybe two drinks. All Rights Reserved. Brandon grew impatient while waiting for his parents to find the right spot. Dont you see me? he asked his parents, exasperated. There are resources available to provide assistance to families with missing loved ones. An investigation must also be done to determine what that persons status is. Her books are available on Amazon. Brandon Swanson was 19 years old when he went missing in the state of Minnesota. When the 911 operator asked if he needed an ambulance Brandon replied no, he needed police to respond. He was 19 years old at the time. People at the party report that Brandon had one alcoholic drink that they noticed, and that he seemed fine, not inebriated in any way. David Paulides and his Missing 411 series . Authorities immediately assumed that Brandon had fallen into the Yellow Medicine River. Though Brandons case tragically remains unsolved, wherever Brandon is he can be proud of his legacy of enacting a new Law in his honor. Parents pain helps change how police treat missing adults. He Was Murdered. At the time of his disappearance Brandon was 19 years old, 5'6" and 120 lbs. "We believe that he got disoriented, said Hasse. He wasn't injured in the crash. The spring semester had just come to an end and on the night of May 13th, 2008, Swanson attended two different parties to celebrate. Tim Pawlenty signed the bill into law. Brandon Swanson. While his teams investigation has been extensive, relying on trained professional canine handlers and search dogs with advanced capabilities, there are still portions of land in that area that Emergency Support Services has not been allowed to access. Interestingly, they also picked up Swansons scent on a piece of farm equipment nearby, but the farmer to whom it belonged denied the request of the authorities to search his property. The vehicle they were driving was found in "The Desert," shown here on this map. Numerous examinations were done, and his folks revealed a Brandon missing case to the Lynd Police. I want to add a few more speculative points that I think aid this theory, though please remember that theory is not evidence! The most popular theory among authorities is that Brandon fell into the river. 5 talking about this. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Another possibility is that Brandon could have fallen into a hole or a type of naturally occurring trench encountered while walking in the dark, but if that were the case it would be odd that after nearly three years of extensive searching nothing has been found (The Search for Brandon blog). I dont know. Armed with this new information, the search moves to the area where they finally find Brandons car in Porter, stuck in a ditch. With the search area located among plenty of farmland, Emergency Support Services has worked diligently with farmers to create an access schedule that works around the shifting planting and harvest seasons. The basics are this: Brandon was in a fight with his long term girlfriend, Ladessa, and . Days of looking turned into weeks, then months and now years. Brian stayed on the phone with his son while he made his journey, and he was a little frustrated that Brandon kept walking through fields and other areas rather than sticking to the main road. Though Brandon may have enjoyed himself early on that evening, what happened later that night is a baffling mystery, one where the deeper you dig the less things seem to make sense. Brandon Swanson vanished from his vehicle after a small accident just before 2am on May 14, 2008 near Canby, MN. Seems implausible. While the search in and around Lynd continued, police were able to obtain Brandons cell phone records. One officer in particular even stated that, at his age, Brandon, had a right to be missing, a remark that has stuck with Annette Swanson years later. Background Brandon Victor Swanson was born on January 30, 1989 in Marshall, Minnesota, to parents Brian and Annette Swanson. What both Brandon and his parents thought though was that the other car was in the wrong spot. Though they hear it through the phone, they hear nothing locally. His last search was for Deb Hendrichs, 56, of Star, Idaho, who went missing on Jan. 11, 2021, in the Blue Mountains near Meacham, Ore., when her Toyota RAV-4 ran out of gas. What happened to the Fort Worth Missing Trio? But when they didnt answer, he had no choice but to call his Dad at about 1:54 am to come assist him. However, authorities had no better luck finding Brandon or his car than Brian and Annette. What did that mean? Unsure of what else to do, they hung up and tried calling him again multiple times, each time getting no response. They see darkness. He attended what Ive described elsewhere as a party, but if you dig a little deeper you find that it was actually what Id call more of a get-together. I hear a maximum of maybe 6 people including Brandon, so nothing crazy. So then the search was focused there, and the car was located.. Confident they knew exactly where he was, Brian and Annette head to help their son. When a cell phone is off or when it is damaged for example, as the result of being submerged under water incoming calls go directly to voicemail, either with no rings or just one ring. There are no known personal, economic, or social motives that plausibly may have driven someone to murder Brandon; however, there are individuals who murder strangers because of a deep-seated usually sexual fantasy. Shortly after midnight on May 14, 2008, Brandon Swanson (born January 30, 1989) of Marshall, Minnesota, United States, drove his car into a ditch on his way ho 40 Harold Ramirez TB. No problem, his dad said, I know exactly where what youre describing is. He wanted to blow off steam and eagerly went to a party in Canby on May 14, 2008. . The most popular theory among authorities is that Brandon fell into the river. In the early weeks of the search in May and June 2008, land and air searches were conducted both by community volunteers and individuals from professional search organizations, but with no luck. Brandon told them he was somewhere on the road between Lynd and Marshall. Doesnt mean its not possible but mathematically speaking thats a big reduction in likelihood. In addition, the examiners likewise looked around there; partners observed Brandon's neglected vehicle in a trench off a rock street along the Lincoln . This is a trip that he made practically daily, considering he would drive from Marshall to Canby and back for classes all the time. The likelihood that an offender especially one with homicidal fantasies happened to be driving in rural Minnesota at 3 a.m. on the same road Brandon was on is remote, but still needs to be considered. As days bled into weeks, the search efforts slowly died down. Brian attempted to call his son back several times but Brandon never answered again (Divine, 2010; Weed, 2010). Brandon Victor Swanson was last seen on May 15th 2008 in Canby Minnesota. It's believed he died of exposure. Brandon Swanson said he could see lights in the distance, which he believed were coming from the town of Lynd. Disappearance: 05/14/2008. Searchers work an area just west of Taunton along Highway 68 and to the north, June 21-22, 2008. If a person passed by, they would think it was just parked there, or broken down and stuck.. Retrieved Nov. 18, 2010, from http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-18/justice/grace.coldcase.swanson_1_searched-phone-father?_s=PM:CRIME. At around 1:45 a.m., Brian Swanson and Annette Swanson received a phone call from their son indicating his Chevrolet Lumina had veered into a ditch. Brian and Annette waited for their son to tell them what was wrong, but he never did. You can find out more information about the Jacob Wetterling Resources Center here. No big deal, nothing out of the ordinary. Taunton was actually directly on the way from Canby to Marshall, a town he drove through daily on his way to and from class. One popular theory is that he was the victim of a hit and run and someone hid his body. Did he fall into the river? Brandons parents encourage him to flash his lights. The Yellow Medicine River has been the subject of extensive searches over the years, including excavation efforts in areas where the dogs have led law enforcement. It is possible a possible hit-and-run driver panicked and in fear of going to prison took and disposed of Brandons body to avoid detection. What does not make sense to me is how Brandon could have suspected he was near Lynd, if he were driving Canby to Marshall, as Lynd is 7 miles BEYOND his home in Marshall, a further drive. If you have any information on Brandon, please call the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at 877-996-6222 or email them at bca.coldcase@state.mn.us or call Lincoln County Sheriff's . Around 10:30 pm, he left the gathering to drive to Canby, which is 30 miles away . What is it and how did it come to be? Though Brandon was barely 19 years old, the police response did not match the alarm his family and friends felt. Click-click. Left in the wake of their ongoing tragedy, Brian Swanson and Annette Swanson identified roadblocks they ran into in their effort to immediately get law enforcement involved in their sons missing persons case. Because Brandons fate is still unknown, it can be speculated that he was taken by an offender, murdered, and disposed of so his remains would not be found. Swanson wears black wire-framed eyeglasses. After Brandons car was located, the Lyon County Sheriffs Department sought the help of search dogs. Kyle and his girlfriend arrived at the same time, but there was no sign of Brandon. No physical evidence in his case has been uncovered. This particular night however was May 13th 2008 and it was the LAST day of classes at Minnesota West, meaning that Brandon was officially DONE with his certificate program. The spring semester had just come to an end and on the night of May 13th, 2008, Swanson attended two different parties to celebrate. One positive thing that came out of Brandons disappearance is "Brandons Law.". Neither party was able to see the others flashing lights and because of mounting frustration an argument ensued. When Emergency Support Services initially took over the majority of search efforts for Brandon Swanson in late 2008, they ran into the issue of landowner permission, particularly among cattle farmers who took issue with search canines present on their property. Extensive searches in and near the area where he went missing have been conducted over the years, yet no new physical evidence related to Brandon Swanson has been recovered. CNN Justice, 1-3. The Night of the Disappearance Despite circumstantial evidence pointing to his stepmother, the case remains unsolved. He assured them that both he and the car were fine and that he merely needed them to pick him up. There was nothing odd about it. Forty-seven minutes into the call, Swanson suddenly exclaimed: Oh, shit! Then there was silence. . Its all documented and backed up by science, its there and its real.". Brandons parents piled into their car, not too worried, and headed out to rescue their son. If you have any information, please contact: Agency Name: Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, Agency Name: MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. A Truely Baffling Disappearance: Brandon Swanson, USA, 2008. Up and down side roads and gravel paths, and even the bar in Lynd. We know that he was on gravel roads, said Annette Swanson. The USA and similar big nations have all . Ok Brandon lets honk our horn He says he cant hear them. Swanson's case remains unsolved. However, local police initially didnt take their concerns seriously, stating that it wasnt at all unusual for a young man his age to stay out all night and advising them to just be patient and wait for him to return on his own. His dad makes multiple attempts to call for his son, but receives no answer. Brandon Lawson 911 call depicted last moments before he went missing Around 11:30 p.m. Aug. 8, Lawson called his father and mentioned he was heading to his parents' house in Crowley, about 3. Unfortunately he would never make it there. Lynd, where Brandon thought he was, is southwest of Marshall. Be the Voice for the missing!! Many tips revolve around the events leading up to Brandon Swansons disappearance, including claims that he was involved in an argument at the time he went missing. 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