Crime Theories

Brandon Lawson was a 26-year-old man from San Angelo, Texas. He was an oil field worker and father of four children and he also had a common-law wife named Ladessa Lofton. He is described as being 5 foot 9 inches tall and weighing approximately 230 pounds. He was a Caucasian male with brown hair and blue eyes. Lawson has multiple tattoos on his arms and has a scar on his chin and left knee and one of his ears is pierced. At the time of his disappearance, Lawson was wearing a yellow shirt, camouflage-print shorts and white 2013 Air Max shoes.

Kyle Brandons brother said that Brandon called Kyle asking him to buy some meth for him.

August 8, 2013 was the last time that Brendon was seen in San Angelo, Texas. He and his longtime girlfriend got into an argument which led to Brandon leaving the home at around 11:54 p.m., with the intentions of going to his father’s residence. Approximately 45 minutes later, Brandon called his brother Kyle to tell him that he had run out of gas. What is known is that following his phone call to his brother Kyle, something happened and Brandon phoned 911 — and advised the dispatcher that he was “in a field” and needed help and that he needed a cop. The dispatcher heard Brandon say “I ran into somebody” and responded to him , “Ahhh, ran into them? Ok.” Another call was made to 9-1-1, by a passer-by (Trucker) regarding Brandon’s truck parked crooked on side of the road, posing a hazard. Kyle and his Kyle’s girlfriend Audrey went out to bring Brandon their gas can. Kyle, and his girlfriend Audrey, phoned Ladessa to tell her that Brandon ran out of gas and he needed their gas can. Ladessa told him she would leave on the porch as she was going to have a shower and heading to bed. Kyle’s check however did not clear in his bank account so he had no money to fill the gas can but figured when he got to Brandon with the can he would drive him to Stripes Convenient Mart and Brandon could pay for the gas…and he would drive him back to his truck and he and Audrey could be on their way back home.

911 Transcript 2013; 050 and 38 seconds – a ding heard is recording equipment
9-1-1 Emergency: 9-1-1 Emergency?
Brandon: Yes, I’m in the middle of the field …(inaudible)…(inaudible-possible: pushed some guys over or pushed some cars over) ..right here, goin’ towards Abilene, on both sides……..my truck ran out of gas… there’s one car here…(inaudible-possible….it (or I) got taken through woods.) Please hurry.
9-1-1 Emergency: Ok. Now. Run that by me…..?
Brandon: (possible “No, (or Oh) we’re not talking to em” ( inaudible)  (inaudible- possible: “no I ran into em” “told you I ran into em”)
9-1-1 Emergency: Ahhh…you ran into them? Ok.
Brandon : (inaudible- Possibly saying… “yes, the first guy” or “not, the first guy.” or “got the first guy.” ) –– sounds to me like Brandon mentions someone having Buckshot. (ammo)??
9-1-1 Emergency: Do you need an ambulance?
Brandon: “No, I need the cops.”
9-1-1 Emergency: Is anyone hurt?
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?
(Original tape has three hello’s.)
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?

Below is a timeline of events and phone calls from the night Brandon went missing.  *It is important to note that much of the evidence and timeline we now have has been provided by Brandon’s family and friends. Nothing had been given to us by the police.  Phone ping location, 911 call and phone records were all leaked by Ladessa.  Also important to note, according to Ladessa, the calls Brandon made to her were missed because she left her phone charging in her car. She did speak to Kyle, he did inform her that Brandon was out of gas. Ladessa told Kyle she would leave a gas can on the porch for him because she would be in the shower.

• 11:53pm: Brandon leaves his home in San Angelo, TX headed for his father’s home in Crowley, TX.
• 12:00am: Ladessa calls his cell phone and asks him to return home or go to his brother’s. 
• 12:34am and 12:36am: Ladessa misses 2 calls from Brandon.
• 12:38am: Brandon calls Kyle to tell him his truck has run out of gas
• 12:40am: Kyle calls Ladessa to tell her that Brandon ran out of gas.
• 12:48am: Ladessa misses another call from Brandon.
• 12:50am: Brandon calls 911.
• 12:51am: Kyle calls Brandon and leaves a voicemail.
• 12;54am Brandon calls Ladessa. No answer.
• 12:57am: Brandon calls his neighbor.
• 12:58am: Brandon calls Kyle three times. Calls do not connect
• 12:58am: Neighbor tries calling Brandon 3 times. Calls do not connect
• 12:58am: A passing motorist calls 911 to report Brandon’s vehicle blocking the highway.
• 1:04am; The 911 dispatcher called Brandon. She leaves a message and attempts to call again.
• 1:09am; Brandon calls Kyle three times. Calls do not connect.
• 1:10am: Kyle and an officer arrive on scene to find Brandon missing.  Kyle claims to be on the phone with Brandon at this time.
• 1:12am; Kyle calls Brandon three times. Calls do not connect.
• 1:15am; Brandon calls Kyle twice. Calls do not connect.
• 1:18am: Audrey texts Brandon to tell him the police are still at his truck.
• 1:19am: Audrey receives a phone call from Brandon; he states that he is 10 minutes up the road and bleeding. Phone pings indicate he walked north, away from the vehicle, at 1:10am.
• 1:19am: Audrey and Kyle drive back towards San Angelo, out of sight of the officer, and wait 45 minutes for Brandon before returning home. Ladessa misses multiple calls from Brandon.
• 2.00am Kyle and Audrey arrive home.
• 3am: Brandon’s phone is either shut off or loses battery power.
• 8:30am: Brandon’s truck is towed.

The truck was located on U.S. 227 four and a half miles south of Bronte, Texas, and close to a rest stop, and parked haphazardly. By the time Kyle arrived, at 1:10 am, August 9, 2013, there was no sign of Brandon. There was also a Sheriff’s Deputy that arrived at the truck at about the same time as Kyle and Audrey. There was no visible damage to Brandon’s truck and his keys and his cell phone were missing. It is understood that the Deputy, nor Kyle, were aware that Brandon phoned 9-1-1 asking for “a cop” as well as stating, “please hurry!” While talking with the deputy, Kyle received a call from Brandon, in which Brandon’s cell was going in and out and he was hard to understand. Brandon claimed that he was “ten minutes up the road.” He also mentioned that he was bleeding. The phone went dead at this point. What Kyle understood was “I’m in the field.” Kyle, felt maybe Brandon was hiding in the field due to an outstanding warrant from 2 years ago (that Brandon himself just learned and was going to address it the following week) so Kyle made no mention to the deputy of Brandon being the phone call he was listening to. Had Kyle known Brandon phoned 9-1-1 he would never have assumed his brother was “hiding.”It was confirmed that the gas tank was in fact empty. His cell phone was a Motorola Droid Razr. There was an extensive search of the area which turned up no sign of him, however; he has never been heard from again. Lawson’s family were unaware that he called 911 that night and only found out when they viewed his cellular phone records.

At around 1:18 Audrey sent Brandon a text saying”A cop is at your truck” it is assumed she did such as she wanted to warn him due to his warrant. At this time they were not aware that he himself phoned 911 asking for a cop and to please hurry. In statements given to police, as explained by the family, they did admit Brandon’s earlier call to them in which he told his brother, and Audrey, that “he was ten minutes up the road, and was bleeding.” This was also not reported to Deputy Neal at the scene. It is also understood that Deputy Neal did not report to Kyle that Brandon phoned 911. (It’s still unclear if Deputy Neal even know if Brandon called 911)

From all media reports written by The Observer Enterprise, which happens to be owned by the Sheriff and his wife, that the 911 call was only reported as ” a stranded motorist who ran out of gas.” There was no mention of the urgency nor any mention of phrase “I ran into them”( as understood by the dispatcher) The Deputy then put emergency flashers on , locked the truck and proceeded to “leave the scene” and arranged for a tow in the morning. According to reports the Deputy did drive up and down the roadway to see if he could spot Brandon walking. Kyle and his girlfriend left the empty gas can in the bed of the truck thinking if Brandon came back he would at least have the can and could retrieve gas. They began to go look for him. It was the following morning and there was still no sign of Brandon, Kyle’s money was now available in his account so he went back to the truck and filled the can and returned it to the truck. At this point he was now starting to become concerned and felt that Brandon may not have been hiding and may be in trouble. In talking with Investigators he now gave them the full account of Brandon being on the phone at the time the Deputy was at the truck.

It wasn’t known by Brandon’s family that he called 9-1-1 until Brandon’s common law wife, Ladessa, saw on the itemized cell phone transactions, provided by law enforcement, that a 9-1-1 call was made.

There has been no activity on Brandon’s bank accounts or his cell phone since that time. An extensive search was conducted by professional Search and Rescue on October 24, 2013, around the area of the abandoned truck.

Brandon’s family doesn’t believe that his outstanding felony warrant is connected to his disappearance and they also believe that he would not have run from the police because of it. He worked in the oil industry at the time of his disappearance and left behind four children, three with his girlfriend and one from a prior relationship. Although investigators have stated there’s no evidence of foul play in his case, his family stated it’s uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning and they’re afraid for his safety. He is classified as an involuntarily missing person and his case remains unsolved.

Over the years there have been many false information put out in the media by the Observer Enterprise which is run by Mrs. McCutchen, the wife of Sheriff McCutchen. Here are just a few examples:

“Law enforcement concludes man not in Coke County”

This statement is ludicrous. Just because Brandon hasn’t been found yet does not mean that he is somehow no longer in the county.

In the following statement, information is completely left out.

“Members of Texas Search and Rescue and various law enforcement agencies began arriving last Wednesday evening for Thursday’s massive search for Brandon Lawson. This latest search stems from an incident which occurred just before 1 am Friday, August 9, 2013. It began with a 911 call about a stranded motorist just south of Bronte on Highway 277.”

She fails to mention that that particular 911 call was made by a passing motorist, a trucker who thought that Brendon’s truck was parked unsafe on the street.

Here’s yet another statement:

“The driver was not at the vehicle when Chief Deputy Brandon Neal arrived just after 1 am. However at this time, investigation has revealed that Brandon Lawson was hiding in the brush (due to an outstanding felony warrant) watching Deputy Neal while speaking to his brother, Kyle Lawson, on his cell phone.”

Here’s the problem with this statement, Brandon called 911 and requested help! Why would he then go hide in the woods when they show up. This statement makes zero sense.

Here’s yet another example:

“According to Ladessa Lofton, no one has heard from Lawson since this time. The Coke County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with DPS and the Texas Rangers, had already conducted an aerial search and a ground grid search without revealing any clues to his whereabouts.”

While aerial searches are good to locate someone who is alive, they are useless in trying to find someone who is no longer alive since the infrared technology will only pick heat signals and someone who is no longer alive won’t emit heat.

Here’s yet another statement:

“Following a conversation with Sheriff McCutchen and Ranger Nick Hanna, the investigation will turn elsewhere and will not include any further searches unless new detailed information arises.”

The problem with this statement is that Sheriff McCutchen was provided cell phone ping information which puts the phone approximately 3 miles away from where the truck was located and an area that has yet to be searched.

I am absolutely convinced that someone out there knows exactly what happened to Brandon Lawson and I’m asking that person or persons to come forward. I also encourage my listeners to share this podcast episode on social media to raise awareness about this case.

If you have any information about what happened to Brendan Lawson, please contact: Coke County Sheriff’s Office.

Soruces:

Crawlspace interviewed Kyle his brother