Brandon Lawson // 363

Summary

Going West: True Crime

Episode 363: Brandon Lawson
Released: December 8, 2023
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman

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Overview

In this episode, Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman revisit the compelling and mysterious disappearance of Brandon Lawson, a 26-year-old Texan who vanished from a desolate stretch of highway in August 2013. Anchored by his haunting 9-1-1 call, this episode dives into Brandon’s personal background, the events on the night of his disappearance, extensive search efforts, the infamous phone call, leading theories, and the bittersweet update almost a decade later.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brandon Lawson’s Background

• Born in 1986, Fort Worth, Texas; raised in a tight-knit family with siblings Kyle, Brittany, and Billy.
• High school relationship with Amanda (daughter Mackenzie), then with Ladessa Lofton (three more children: Destiny, Whitten, Nolan).
• Fond memories recounted: “We weren't the perfect couple. We grew up together. We were babies, but we were happy. We loved each other.” – Ladessa
• Worked grueling, long hours in Texas oil fields.
• Struggled off and on with methamphetamine, had an outstanding warrant from a previous drug charge.
• Despite past troubles, described as an excellent father and hard worker.

2. Timeline Leading to the Disappearance

• August 7-8, 2013: After an argument about a possible relapse and Brandon leaving overnight, tensions flare with Ladessa.
• Around midnight, Brandon leaves home in San Angelo, reportedly heading to his parents' in Crowley, TX.
• Multiple missed calls between Brandon and Ladessa after he leaves (12:34am, 12:36am, 12:38am).
• At approx. 12:38am, Brandon runs out of gas on Highway 277 near Bront, TX, and calls his brother Kyle for help. He claims he’s being chased.

3. The Infamous 9-1-1 Call

• At 12:50am, Brandon calls 9-1-1 for 44 seconds.

• Key quoted segment (approx. 14:01):
  Brandon: “Yes, I’m in the middle of the field… My truck ran out of gas. There’s one car here… guys chasing me into the woods. Please hurry.”

• Call’s audio is garbled and interpretations vary; Brandon is rushed, out of breath, possibly scared.

• Possible background noises (rustling, panting, some think gunshots).

• Operator struggles to understand; “Ah, you ran into him. Okay… Do you need an ambulance?”
  Brandon: “No, I need the cops. ...”
  (14:26)

• Repeated “Hello?” from operator, then silence.

• Discussion:
  “It's just such a tough call... the recording is garbled... people have alleged to hear different words.” – Daphne (15:47)

4. Immediate Aftermath & Search for Brandon

• After the 9-1-1 call, a flurry of calls between Brandon, Kyle, Ladessa, and others—all mostly unanswered or missed.
• At 1:18am, Brandon says to Kyle: “I can see you. I’m right here.” Then silence, and phone goes to voicemail by 1:19am.
  • Memorable quote:
    “I can see you. I’m right here.” – Brandon to Kyle (31:20)
• Kyle and a deputy arrive at Brandon’s abandoned truck but cannot locate him.
• Terrain: remote, brushy, with some clusters of trees—not open plains.
• Kyle leaves a gas can for Brandon and leaves, suspecting he’ll return once police are gone.

5. Ongoing Search Efforts & Family’s Ordeal

• Truck towed by 9am the following day.
• Multiple organized searches: volunteers, helicopters, thermal imaging, six cadaver dogs, Texas Rangers.
• No trace—no personal items, no clothing, no remains for nine years.
• Family deeply involved—flyers, social media campaigns, persistent searches.
• Quote:
  “For a person to have a wallet, keys... a cell phone, a cell phone case, all of that, and not one single thing to be found out there. I just don’t understand that.” – Kyle (40:02)

6. Theories & Community Speculation

• Theory 1: Brandon staged his disappearance (debunked—no money or transportation, withdrawn 401k likely unreachable).
• Theory 2: Kyle aided Brandon’s disappearance (debunked via polygraphs and investigation).
• Theory 3: Ladessa involved (she moved away 6 weeks later for children’s stability, maintained her innocence).
• Theory 4: Drug-induced psychosis (Brandon possibly hallucinating, delusions of being chased, etc).
  • “Methamphetamine is known to cause hallucinations, so it's entirely possible that he was experiencing drug induced psychosis...” – Daphne (45:42)
• Theory 5: Encounter with animal (e.g., feral hogs—common and dangerous in the area).
• Theory 6: Foul play—stumbled on criminal activity (cartel, drug operation), police cover-up (suspicion due to sheriff’s role in local paper, dismissive media coverage).
  • "The cops blocked Ladessa at every turn... The sheriff's wife was constantly fighting with everyone in Facebook comments. It was all very strange." – Local commentator (47:56)

7. Discovery of Remains (2022) & Lingering Uncertainties

• February 2022: Searchers find Brandon’s Nike shoes and camouflage shorts (~75 feet apart), followed by human remains in the same area as his truck.
  • Family: “Although DNA tests are needed to confirm identification, in our hearts we know that it’s Brandon.” (50:25)
• Official identification still pending (as of episode release).
• Quote from family update:
  “Very little remains were found... with each attempt of analysis, a small portion of the remains is destroyed in the process... The remains were exposed to the elements for over eight years...” (approx. 52:00)
• Deep questions remain about what happened—exposure, accident, foul play, hallucination-related misadventure.
• Family seeking closure; father Brad:
  “He deserves to be brought home to his family.” (55:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Opening Reflection:
  “This is still a big mystery. So it deserves to be talked about over and over again.” – Daphne (01:12)

• On missing phone calls:
  “Brandon called me three times and never left a voicemail that night. I'll never forgive myself for not having my phone on me.” – Ladessa (12:54)

• The 911 Call:
  “I'm in the middle of the field… My truck ran out of gas… guys chasing me into the woods. Please hurry.” – Brandon (14:01)

• Analytical Frustration:
  “It's just such a tough call... he has his Texas accent... they're kind of talking over each other... he's panting like something happened.” – Daphne (15:47)

• Haunting Last Words:
  “I can see you. I’m right here.” – Brandon to Kyle (31:20)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:20 – Episode introduction / Host’s personal connection
• 04:54 – Brandon’s background and family
• 07:44 – Discussion of Brandon’s struggles and relationship stress
• 13:05 – Timeline of phone calls and breakdown leading up to 9-1-1 call
• 14:01 – Original 9-1-1 call plays
• 15:47 – Analysis and debate over interpretation
• 22:17 – Breakdown of call timing and aftermath
• 30:11 – Search efforts, terrain details, and arrival of authorities/family
• 40:22 – Search escalation, theories, and family quotes
• 45:42 – Theories and family’s response to rumors
• 47:56 – Theories of foul play, police involvement, and investigative biases
• 50:25 – Discovery of remains and family update (2022)
• 54:41 – Reflections on possible scenarios, closure for family
• 55:46 – Family’s public plea for information

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Episode Tone & Takeaways

Daphne and Heath maintain a tone of empathy, respectful curiosity, and focused analysis, frequently returning to the emotional toll on Brandon’s family and the lasting ambiguity of his fate. They highlight the difficulties in interpreting the 9-1-1 call, the complexity of the case, and the pain of not knowing, alongside community efforts and family persistence.

Final Reflection:
“Unfortunately, we may never know what exactly happened that night, but hopefully his family does get those answers and they'll be able to have some sort of closure in this case.” – Heath (55:33)

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Contact for Tips:
Texas Department of Safety: [phone]

For further discussion and case photos:

• Instagram: @goingwestpodcast
• Twitter: @goingwestpod
• Facebook: Going West Discussion Group

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For listeners and readers, this episode offers a clear timeline, a humanizing portrait of Brandon Lawson and his family, and a meticulous overview of one of Texas’s most unsettling disappearances—with the hope that understanding and closure may yet come.

Transcript

[A]

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What is going on? True crime fans. I'm your host, Heath.

[B]

And I'm your host, Daphne.

[A]

And you're listening to Going West.

[B]

Hello, everybody. Hope you're doing so well. Somehow we didn't have any recommendations for this case in our email. I don't know how that's possible, but Heath and I have been been gripped by this story for so many years now. And although it's not a lesser known case like we do cover a lot of, we wanted to open up the conversation about this one with you guys because it's just mind boggling.

[A]

It really is. Yeah. And I'm sure that some of you guys did recommend this this case over the years, but somewhere couldn't find them in the email. So if you did, thank you so much for doing so.

[B]

Indeed. We almost didn't cover this because it is more well known, like I said. But you know, sometimes with these types of stories that just grip us all, it's really interesting to dive into them. So we decided to go for it. Hope that's okay with you guys.

[A]

Yeah. And just go back and look over the details as well.

[B]

Yeah. And especially because this is still a big mystery. So it deserves to be talked about over and over again. So without further ado, shall we?

[A]

Yes, we shall. All right, guys, this is episode 363 of Going West. So let's get into it.

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[B]

In August of 2013, a 26 year old man disappeared from the side of a highway in Texas after running out of gas. In what has become an infamous phone call to 911, he pleaded for help, saying that he was being chased by someone. Professionals and Internet sleuths alike have attempted to break down his every word to determine exactly what happened to him, especially after remains were found in the area in 2022.

This is the Story of Brandon Lawson.

Brandon Mason Lawson was born on November 18, 1986 in Fort Worth, Texas to a mom named Kimberly and a dad named Bradley or Brad. Completing Brandon's tight knit family are a brother named Kyle, a sister named Brittany, and a half brother named Billy. Brandon grew up spending time outdoors and loved to hunt, camp and fish. A Texan through and through, he was also a massive fan of the Dallas Cowboys. As a kid he dreamed of owning a pickup truck, which is a dream that would someday come true for him, but also be a source for the mysterious fate that befell him. While attending Joshua High School in Joshua, Texas, Brandon started dating a young woman named Amanda and the two had a baby daughter that they named Mackenzie. But the relationship didn't last and by his junior year of high school, he was single again. Then that school year he met a sophomore named Ladessa Lofton and he really set his sights on her. According to Ladessa, he approached her very confidently in the hall one day, striding up to her and asking, do you know who I am? To which she replied, no. Am I supposed to. Then he requested that she write down her phone number on a piece of paper, which she did, and the two started dating shortly afterwards. They finished out high school as a couple, and by the time they were 20, they welcomed a daughter whom they named Destiny. Ladessa fondly remembers Brandon's charming, magnetic personality, his infectious laugh and striking blue eyes. The two were devoted partners and parents and loved fostering their family unit, later adding two young sons named Whitten and Nolan to the mix. Ladessa remembers, quote, we weren't the perfect couple. We grew up together. We were babies, but. But we were happy. We loved each other. Brandon especially took pride in instilling his love of camping and fishing in his children, but they definitely had their struggles. The family relocated to San Angelo, Texas, which is about four hours southwest of Joshua, where he and Ladessa attended high school. And there Brandon took a job working in the oil fields, which is a position that was grueling and demanding, not to mention time consuming, as he would routinely pull 60 hour work weeks that sometimes stretched all the way up to 90 hours.

[A]

Yeah, working on those oil rigs, that's no joke. That is no joke.

[B]

Yeah. I'm sure many of you listening know somebody that does this or does it themselves and man, it just seems really tough. So Ladessa could really feel the strain that his work was putting on Brandon, both physically and emotionally over this time.

[A]

In the summer of 2013, Ladessa and Brandon welcomed their youngest son, Nolan. And as excited as they were about this new addition, it was another layer of responsibility at home. And Ladessa recalls them both being stressed out before his fourth child was born. Brandon struggled with addiction after turning to methamphetamine to handle the pressure that he was facing with work. And according to his family, Brandon even had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in another county due to a previous drug charge. But Ladessa and Brandon's parents and siblings are staunch in their assertion that Brandon was an excellent father and caretaker and that his intermittent drug use should not define him. Brandon's brother Kyle remembered, my brother might have been a felon and might have messed with drugs and might have relapsed. My brother worked for what he had. He loved his children, he took care of his children. He was a good person. He wasn't some dope fiend living on the streets robbing people or trying to get over on someone to get high again. So In August of 2013, 26 year old Brandon could proudly say that he had been clean for six months. However, one rough night would change all of that and set into motion a string of events that has left his family baffled over 10 years later. On the evening of Wednesday, August 7, 2013, Brandon failed to return home to Ladessa and the children. According to Kyle, Brandon called him that evening, asking him where he could get methamphetamine to use that night. Now, the following day when Brandon returned home, Ladessa was furious with him, not only at him having potentially used drugs again, but that he had left her and the children to fend for themselves overnight. So a fight broke out between the two and Brandon stormed off. At around 11:54pm on the evening of Thursday, August 8, 2013, Brandon got into his Ford F150 pickup truck and sped away from their home. He's believed to have been heading to his parents house in Crowley, Texas where they relocated after Brandon had graduated high school. Crowley's back in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, about four hours away. But given how rattled Brandon was, it seems plausible that he wanted to just kind of take some space to himself. Ledessa remembers sadly, for a long time I blamed myself. I will never get those words.

[B]

Back at midnight, presumably while Brandon was on his way to Crowley, Ladessa called him and tried to convince him to come back home, concerned about the prospect of him driving such a long distance so late at night because he'd be driving all night from midnight until at least 4am or so if he was going to his parents. So it just wasn't safe if he hadn't gotten any sleep. And she knew this. But Brandon continued to drive because basically Ladessa and Brandon had this agreement that they would kind of allow each other to cool off after arguments in order to prevent the fight from spiraling out of control. So Ladessa allowed him his space and started getting ready for bed about 40 minutes after he left home and a little over 30 minutes after Ladessa spoke with him. At 12:34am, Ladessa missed a call from Brandon, then missed subsequent calls from him at 12:36am and 12:38am so he is clearly trying to get a hold of her. 12:38am is also when Brandon is believed to have run out of gas on Highway 277 just south of Bront, Texas. So Brandon called his brother Kyle, telling him that he was stranded on the side of the road and asked Kyle to bring him some gas to get him to Brawn so that he could fill up his truck. Now according to Kyle, in this phone call, Brandon Also claimed that he was being chased by, quote, the Mexicans in the neighborhood, but didn't give any further context. When Kyle asked him if he had been using methamphetamine and was simply hallucinating that he was being pursued, Brandon denied it. But Kyle said later that he believes that his brother was on drugs that night and was possibly suffering from delusions. Though unfortunately, there's no way to prove if this theory is true or not. Kyle and his girlfriend Audrey called Ladessa, alerting her of the situation. And Ladessa said that she would leave a gas can outside for them so that they could go and help Brandon. She then told them that she was going to hop in the shower and head to bed. So Brandon had their only phone charger with him. So she plugged her phone into the car's charger, leaving it there overnight and went inside. And this would lead to, you know, her missing a lot of upcoming calls. So she later lamented, quote, Brandon called me three times and never left a voicemail that night. I'll never forgive myself for not having my phone on me. Which is so sad because obviously she's just trying to charge her phone. She has no idea that something was going to happen.

[A]

Yeah, she's letting Brandon blow off steam. She's probably thinking that he's going to be back and, you know, maybe the next day or maybe in a few hours or something.

[B]

Exactly. So Kyle, Audrey and their four year old son picked up the gas can from Ladessa and Brandon's house and headed toward Bront to find brandon. Then at 12:50am so about 15 minutes after Brandon's spoke with Kyle on the phone about running out of gas, Brandon called 91 1. In what is the most eerie, harrowing and analyzed aspect of Brandon's disappearance, the 911 call turned a seemingly trivial request for roadside assistance into a full blown mystery. Now, before analyzing the call, we're gonna play it for you guys. It's about 44 seconds long, so we're going to play it once, we're going to talk all about it and then we're going to play it again.

[E]

92013 0, 508 seconds. 911 emergency. Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. It's like we're just pushing guys over right here, going towards Avalon on both sides. My truck ran out of gas. There's one car here you got to take to the woods. Push harder. Okay, now run that around me. One more.

I totally ran into him. Ah, you ran into him. Okay. Got the first guy. Do you need an ambulance? Yes. No, I need to call. Okay.

Is anybody hurt?

Hello?

Hello?

[B]

Hello?

Actually, we're going to go ahead and play that one more time.

[E]

911 emergency. Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. It's like we're just screwed. Some guys over right here going towards Avalon on both sides. My truck ran out of gas. There's one car here. You got to take to the woods. Please hurry. Okay, now run that around me one more night talking to him.

Ah, you ran into him. Okay, got the first guy. Do you need an ambulance? Yes. No, I need the cops. Okay.

Is anybody hurt?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

[B]

It's just such a tough call because, you know, he has his Texas accent and, you know, they're kind of talking over each other and he's panting like something happened. And she is even. She's like, okay, run that by me one more time. She's like. She doesn't even know what he's talking about.

[A]

Yeah, he's. He's talking quickly because, you know, it seems like there's something. Something going on. So he's out of breath. You know, he's. He's rushing the conversation to get. To get the information out.

[B]

Exactly. So we're going to play it in a little bit. Slow down, so you guys can kind of hear it a little better. But let's talk about this call. So, first of all, When Brandon called 911, it actually rang to a local nursing home facility. Because it's a remote area, an operator at the nursing home would feel 911 calls and decide whether to dispatch the police or an ambulance accordingly. So the call rang at a facility in Robert Lee, Texas, which is about 15 minutes away from Braun. This practice has been highly criticized in the aftermath of Brandon's disappearance, as some believe that the staff member who answered the call was maybe not experienced enough to know which questions to ask Brandon in order to get him the proper assistance or be able to understand in the aftermath of his disappearance what he was actually calling to report.

[A]

Yeah, and we've talked about this before where I guess there. There's a lot of procedures that have to be done with a 911 operator. One of the first things is asking the address or figuring out, like, the area in which a person is.

[B]

Which is so difficult because she's not like a regular dispatcher.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So it's like, I don't really blame her, but it's also like, you know, I don't know why they didn't have somebody Trained properly to do something like that. Maybe this area doesn't see a lot of emergencies. Like, probably not. Yeah, there could be a lot of factors, but either way, it doesn't make it any less fortunate in this situation. So when the operator answered the phone, Brandon can be heard saying, yes, I'm in the middle of the field. If you can just bring some guys over right here going towards Abilene on Bront side. That's what people think. Like Abilene, Texas, on Bront side. We've talked about Bront a few times in this episode. There's one car here and guys chasing me into the woods. Please hurry. That is what it seems like Brandon is saying here. But obviously the recording is garbled. And again, Brandon is talking quickly. So many people have alleged to hear different words within his transcript. But I agree with this one. I know Heath agrees with this one. So we. We're just going with that right now. But let us know if you guys hear something different in the comments on our social media. Because the discourse about it is very divided, like by his family, by professionals and online sleuths alike. Some people purport to hear, quote, we're just pushing guys over, whereas we said, if they could just bring some guys over. So that's also what's difficult, is people hearing different things. It kind of reshapes what he's saying happened. So it reshapes what could have happened.

[A]

Right. So you can hear many different things and it doesn't. Just doesn't make the whole call any easier to decipher.

[B]

Exactly. So with this. With this, you know, possibility of we're just pushing guys over makes it seem as if Brandon maybe came in contact with other people on the side of the road and that a physical altercation ensued. If there was in fact another car either parked there or stranded there, it is plausible that there were other people with him. But in the desolate desert that this particular stretch of Highway 277 cuts through, it seems unlikely that there was anyone else there. Others claim that they heard Brandon mention seeing a stapir stapler or strooper, and that he meant to say state trooper, but maybe just jumbled his words or they kind of merged together. And this theory alleges that instead of saying, yes, I'm in the middle of the field, if you could just bring some guys over, Brandon actually said, yes, I'm in the middle of a field. A trooper has one guy pulled over. So this would give credence to a later theory that the police were involved in Whatever happened that night, Brandon's friend from high school, Jason Watts, who was later credited with helping find items of Brandon's clothing, claims that he believes Brandon was trying to say state trooper. This theory, as explained by his family's website, asserts, quote one word, what is it? Stapir? Stapler? Scaper? Escaper? Taper? Possibly. Yes, I'm in the middle of a field. A stapir just pulled some guys over. That is what a lot of people think it is. And I'm actually going to play that little segment right now. Since I'm talking about it. A lot of you guys might be like, wait, I don't remember that. I'm going to play that little part for you right now.

[E]

Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. It's like we're just poaching guys over. Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. It's like we're just pooching guys over. Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. Escape. We're just pooching guys over.

Yes, I'm in the middle of the field. Escape. We're just cruching down now.

[A]

Brandon continues by telling the operator that he tried talking to them, seeming to mean whomever else he believed was out there with him, and then adds, I totally ran into them. The operator, assuming that Brandon meant that he rear ended the other car on the shoulder, says, ah, you ran into them, okay. And to this Brandon responds with what sounds like either got the first guy or just the first guy. And to me I feel like it sounds like he's saying got the first guy. But regardless, there are noises in the background which have also been picked apart by those investigating this case. And some believe them to be gunshots. Others say that they hear people talking. When asked if he needs an ambulance, Brandon replies, no, I need the cops. After the operator asks if anybody's hurt, more rustling noises can be heard in the background, and many maintain that those are also gunshots. After that, Brandon is silent while the operator attempts to get his attention, repeating hello Multiple times.

[B]

So we're gonna play the call for you again at a normal speed and then we're gonna play it again slowed down so you can pick apart what he's saying a little bit better.

[E]

911 emergency. Yes, I'm in the middle of the field, except for just cruising guys, over. Right here, going towards. Absolutely on both sides. My truck ran out of gas. There's one car here you gotta take.

Okay, now run that. We're not talking to him. I totally Ran into him. Ah, you ran into him. Okay, got the first doc. Do you need an amulet? No, I need the call. Okay.

Is anybody hurt?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

901 emergency.

Yes, I'm in the middle of the field escape. We're just loose and diverse. Over right here going towards Avalon on both sides. My truck ran out of gas. There's one part here got taken.

Okay, now run that. Talking to him. I ran into him. Ah, you ran into him. Okay.

Do you need an ambulance?

No, I need to call. Okay.

Is anybody hurt?

Hello?

[A]

Now, one minute after Brandon placed the call to 91 1, his brother Kyle called to check on him again, leaving a voicemail when Brandon didn't answer. After hanging up on the 911 operator, Brandon called Ladessa again at 12:51am the same time that Kyle was calling him.

[B]

Which is interesting that right after getting off. Well, first of all that he got off the phone anyway, because you can hear it. It's not like, oh, the call ended, he accidentally hung up or something happened to his phone. Like there you can hear rustling and kind of whooshing. Silence.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

As she's saying hello, you know. And so it's kind of like what occurred in those few seconds that pass where he's not saying anything at all to disconnecting the line and then calling Ladessa. Like what is going on on the other end of that call?

[A]

Yeah, it seems really strange. Did he drop his phone in the dirt? Like what, what happened here?

[B]

But then interesting that he's calling Ladessa instead of calling 911 again to finish reporting whatever he is potentially seeing.

[A]

Right, right. So with her phone still charging in her car, Ladessa obviously didn't answer this phone call. Around this same time, a long haul truck driver placed a call to 911 as well, claiming that there was a pickup truck parked on the shoulder with its taillights on and its truck bed hanging into the lane of oncoming traffic.

[B]

Which means that, you know, that's dangerous. Cause somebody could hit it. Especially in the middle of a highway in such a desolate area.

[A]

Yeah, at night where it's probably, you know, pretty dark out.

[B]

Super dark.

[A]

So one minute later, at 12:52am, Kyle's girlfriend Audrey tried calling Brandon twice. And both times the call went to voicemail. At 12:54am, Kyle again called Brandon. Then three minutes later, Brandon placed a call to his neighbor, which again means.

[B]

Like over five minutes have gone by by the time that Brandon gets off this 911 call and calls other people, including his neighbor, so he is coherent after that 911 call ended. He's calling other people, so what the hell?

[A]

But also, it's like other people are trying to call him and he's not answering those calls, but he's calling other people.

[B]

Well, one minute after calling his neighbor at 12:58am Brandon called Kyle back and called again when Kyle didn't answer. So it's like everybody's calling each other and not able to reach them within just this few minutes of time. So at that same time, Brandon's neighbor returned his call because he didn't answer, calling three times, and Brandon didn't answer any of those times. So it's really weird that nobody is answering, but they're calling each other right back and not answering, like, what? So a few minutes after this, at 1:04am, the operator, about 10 minutes after their call got disconnected, called Brandon back, hoping for more information as Brandon had not given his exact location.

After leaving a voicemail, she called again, but he didn't answer either call, which doesn't make any sense because five minutes later, at 1:09am Brandon called Kyle three times in a row. Then three minutes later, Kyle called him back three times in a row to no avail.

[A]

Yeah, I think what we're dealing with here is probably a reception issue because maybe the calls are not going through. Maybe they're barely going through. And I imagine if they're out on this, like, desolate, like back road or whatever, maybe it's not super desolate, but who knows what the reception was like in that area. And I'm just saying that as a possibility. I'm just assuming that that could be the issue.

[B]

It's definitely possible because it is really weird. You would imagine that if they keep missing each other, each other's calls, their priority is to say, okay, if they call back, I'm right here, I have my phone, I'm holding it. So, yeah, it's possible that reception played into this a little bit. So after Kyle called him back three times, after Brandon called Kyle three times, at 1:15am Brandon made the final two calls from his phone, both to Kyle. Again, they went unanswered. At 1:19am phone calls to Brandon's phone began going straight to voicemail. So There is almost 30 minutes of time between when Brandon gets disconnected from 911 and when his phone starts going to voicemail. That's a pretty hefty chunk of time, you know, calling back and forth to people, and that's 30 minutes of time that nobody is actually speaking to Brandon to know what's going on.

[A]

Right. Yeah. What is he. What's. What's happening with him right now? What is he doing in that 30 minute time frame?

[B]

Exactly. So in Brandon's calls to his brother where they were able to speak before the 911 call, Kyle remembers that Brandon was speaking a bit incoherently and that he would usually blurt something out quickly and then hang up. 1:18am would be the last time that anyone would speak with Brandon. And this is just one minute before his phone started going to voicemail. So at 1:18am he spoke to Kyle and mentioned that he was, quote, running through a field and bleeding or quote 10 minutes up the road and bleeding, leading Kyle to believe that he fell in the brush while walking away from the car. So again, even when Kyle's talking to him, he can't figure out exactly what he's saying. But he. If he did mention the through a field part, that would match up with what he told 91130 minutes earlier.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But still, it doesn't make any sense. And now he's bleeding. So again, what happened between the time he called 911 or just before it and the time he's talking to Kyle? Because Kyle is still not able to discern like a proper story here. Now, a local Coke county deputy pulled up behind Brandon's truck around the time of this 118 phone call, responding to the call from the truck driver who reported that his car was parked over the line on the shoulder of the highway around the same time Kyle pulled up behind the deputy still on the phone with Brandon. Eerily, Kyle remembers the last thing Brandon said being, I can see you. I'm right here. But Brandon was nowhere to be found. And after the call got disconnected is when his calls started going to voicemail.

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[A]

So before that quick break, we heard from Daphne that the last thing that Kyle remembers hearing Brandon say was, I can see you. I'm right here. And then the phone gets disconnected and.

[B]

Brandon is never seen again. That quote is so, so scary. Like reading that I got the chills so hard.

[A]

Horrifying.

[B]

Really scary. Yeah, because the fact that he said, I can see you means that he knew that Kyle had just pulled up to the scene and just pulled up behind the cop who pulled up right behind Brandon's truck. But then they get there and he's not there. So where was Brandon when he was saying those terrifying words?

[A]

Well, neither the deputy who responded to this call, nor Kyle, nor Audrey could see or hear Brandon anywhere. So, puzzled, Kyle and the deputy discussed what could have happened to him and didn't think that he could have gone very far. Now, the area in which he stopped was pretty desolate. As we mentioned, it's farmland and brush about four and a half miles, or 7.2 kilometers south of Bront and was known for animal activity. Back in 2005, when Brandon was a teenager, he received a felony drug charge in Johnson county, located in suburban Fort Worth, where he was last living at the time. And this warrant was still outstanding. And Kyle believed that Brandon may have been hiding from the police based on the fear that he would be arrested due to this warrant. So Kyle was unaware that Brandon himself had actually phoned 911 about 30 minutes earlier, hoping for the police to come. Audrey texted Brandon, a cop is at your truck. Repeated calls to his phone failed to go through. And Kyle and Audrey drove up and down that stretch of highway, combing the shoulder and the murky black of the fields for Brandon. But they just didn't see any Sign of him.

[B]

Now, on our socials, we're going to post photos of what the side of the highway looks like in this stretch because there are some trees. So it's not just totally open farmland. Because obviously if it was, there would be nowhere for him to hide. They would see him right away. But other than the brush, there are some trees. And that kind of explains a little bit from what Brandon said in the call, which was, guys chased me into the woods or whatever that line actually is. I'll play it really quick so you can hear it right now.

[E]

My truck ran out of gas. There's one part here you gotta take.

Please hurry. My truck ran out of gas. There's one part here I take the woods. Please learn.

[B]

So he does mention the woods, and that's because there are collections of trees there. It's not like woods like you might be picturing a forest. It's not like that. It's farmland that has large collections of trees as well.

[A]

Yeah, scattered trees throughout.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

So after looking for Brandon for quite a while, Kyle and Audrey just eventually gave up and they drove home. Assuming that his phone had died or that perhaps he just wasn't getting service and that he would return to his car soon. Kyle left the gas can in the bed of Brandon's truck and then he headed home.

[B]

Right, because they're probably thinking, oh, maybe he's, you know, they're still thinking that he's hiding from the police because of his warrant and that when everybody leaves that Brandon will sneak out behind from a tree somewhere and grab the gas can.

[A]

Yeah. Fill his truck up, go home. Go home.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

So the deputy who responded to the call about the vehicle obstructing traffic put the emergency lights on in Brandon's truck, which had been left unlocked. And you know, obviously this was kind of a smart thing to do to let people know, hey, you know, there's a, there's a truck here. Don't fucking hit it. So this deputy locked up the truck and then vowed that he was gonna come back and tow it. Now, later that morning, around 4:00am, Ladessa went out to her car to retrieve her phone and saw that she had missed calls from Brandon, Kyle, and their mom, Kimberly. But when she attempted to call Brandon back, the call went straight to voicemail. Now, the realization that Brandon was missing came slowly. But as his family and friends began communicating that no one had heard from him, that his truck was still parked on the side of the road, and that he never made it to his parents house, fear began to set in so Kyle headed back to where Brandon's truck was parked to cruise that section of highway again, just hoping to see Brandon on the side of the road. But the area was static with no sign of him or any of his belongings.

[B]

Because, deeming it a hazard, the sheriff's department had Brandon's truck towed by 9am on the morning of August 9, 2013. So that means that hours and hours and hours passed with Kyle and the deputy being gone, where Brandon didn't come out and get back in his truck. So where was he all that time? As the hours ticked by with no word from him and his loved ones became increasingly concerned, they began congregating in the area in which his truck was abandoned to kind of fan out and search for him. But continued to find no trace of him, his phone, or items that he may have had with him or anyone else who may have been lurking in the area that night by August 12th. So three days after he vanished, the Texas Rangers had joined the search efforts. The following day, August 13, Ladessa officially reported Brandon Lawson missing. Over the course of the next two months, extensive searches were conducted, focusing on the finite area from which he was believed to have disappeared and slowly expanding outward. In addition to the efforts of the police, along with volunteers and Brandon's family and friends, rescue efforts employed multiple helicopters, thermal imaging equipment, drones, ATVs, and six different cadaver dogs. After one human remains dog indicated slightly northeast of the initial search area, the border was expanded. Two experts were even brought in from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. But still the search brought forth nothing. Kyle remembered, quote, for a person to have a wallet, keys and a full keychain, socks, shoes, a shirt, a wallet full of cards and money and an ID and a cell phone, a cell phone case, all of that, and not one single thing to be found out there. I just don't understand that. Brandon's family did everything they could to lead the search efforts. They were consistently walking the area looking for any sign of him. They circ missing posters and formed both a Facebook group and a website to spread the word about his disappearance. But sadly, no one came forward with any information. So the rumors began to churn, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about what had happened.

[A]

And reports online are still very divided, especially concerning the 911 call, as everyone is hearing Brandon say different things. Things. As we mentioned, one of the earliest theories which was considered viable by the police as well, was that Kyle was assisting his brother in disappearing in order to shirk the outstanding warrant and avoid arrest. Now, right off the Bat this seems very flimsy. As Brandon had managed to avoid facing the warrant for the past 11 years, it seems unlikely that he would partake in something as drastic as the complete, complete abandonment of his job, life partner and four children. Brandon's involvement in his own disappearance was also largely debunked in the early days of the search because he didn't have access to his phone or money after the morning that he went missing. Bolstering this theory is the fact that Brandon withdrew from his 401k shortly before his disappearance, which was confirmed by Ladessa. However, it's unclear whether or not he was actually able to access that money before vanishing. And even if he had, it would not have been enough to live off of indefinitely.

[B]

And he didn't have a car, so no means of transportation. He's in the middle of nowhere.

[A]

Where would he go exactly? Seems pretty far fetched. So he deposited a paycheck earlier on the evening of August 8, before his fight with Ladessa, and that money was never touched. So Kyle was obviously very shocked by these suspicions and he consented to and passed two polygraph examinations and he was ruled out as having assisted his brother in going missing. Ladessa also claimed that Brandon's arrest warrant has been vastly blown out of proportion since his disappearance and that he was not actually very concerned about it in the day to day. The couple were consulting a lawyer to get it taken care of and she stated Brandon would never run from his kids. And while he had an outstanding warrant, we were in the process of saving to pay his fine and addressing it through our lawyer. As is the status quo when someone in a relationship goes missing. The spotlight also shifted to ladesssa. After about six weeks of searching for Brandon, she decided her three children, all of whom were under 10 at the time and one of whom was under the age of one, needed more stability. She wanted the help and support of her family. So she relocated back to the suburbs of Fort Worth, which many found suspicious. But she's maintained staunchly that she has nothing to hide. Though the couple may have been in a routine argument on the evening that he disappeared, there was just nothing that would have made her want Brandon to leave, including a relapse.

[B]

It does appear that Brandon had found himself in the middle of a relapse, which means that his disappearance was probably not taken as seriously as it would have been if he was not believed to be under the influence of drugs. But that being said, methamphetamine is known to cause hallucinations, so it's entirely possible that he was experiencing drug induced psychosis and that he thought that there was someone out there in the wilderness with him. This could also explain his final phone call with Kyle again, his brother, and why Brandon told him that he could see him. He may have just been confused or paranoid or disoriented. And some people have gone so far as to speculate that Brandon was dealing drugs on the side, which may have made him enemies and landed him in danger. But Ledessa protested that these claims were ridiculous and unfounded, saying, how could Brandon be a drug dealer when he worked 95 hours a week? He worked. He was a good dad. He took drug tests at a job and passed everyone. Brandon had a past. Yes, everyone has pass, but he wouldn't do anything like that. Investigators have been very quick to note the unforgiving landscape in which he disappeared. I mean, the ground is dry and uneven. It's dotted with mesquite trees, cacti and brush. And this area is known to host both rattlesnakes and feral hogs, the latter of which have been heavily linked to the possibility of Brandon having an accident. Like maybe he came upon a pack of them and lost a physical altercation. But it's also possible that he fell unconscious or was injured and that a hog partially consumed his remains. Feral hogs can grow to be over £400, by the way, and are known to cause more than $50 million of damage annually to Texas farms. And there are believed to be about 2 million of them roaming freely. And if you don't know, these things are huge. So we will post a photo as well. Even though, you know, this isn't confirmed that he went up against a feral hog. But just so you can see how big they are to understand the possibility.

[A]

Others have posed the theory that Brandon may have unknowingly stumbled upon a drug operation or cartel. And given the remote area from which he disappeared, there's also the possibility of a police cover up, which is consistent with the hypothesis that Brandon did in fact mention state troopers in his 911 call. This case had garnered a cult following online, and critics of the investigation have been quick to point out that the Koch county sheriff who was conducting the investigation co owned the local newspaper, the Observer Enterprise, with his wife. When they reported on the incident in the days following, they allegedly addressed it only as a stranded motorist having run out of gas. There were no further details about the dire nature of the situation or the possibility that foul play was involved. This is the publication responsible for reporting locally on the investigation. So a conflict of interest and bias was certainly possible. One local commented on this theory, saying, the cops blocked Ladessa at every turn when it came to searching. And the sheriff's wife was constantly fighting with everyone in Facebook comments. It was all very strange. Your idea of the cops being involved definitely fits with their behavior. The family did what they could to keep Brandon's name in the headlines and keep his investigation alive. They held annual memorials and balloon releases, and groups of volunteers still regularly search the area for any sign of Brandon. Ladessa struggled under the weight of her guilt after having fought with him during their last interaction, saying, I'm so scared we're never going to find him. My kids are going to be having their own kids or getting married and still not know what happened to their dad or where he's at. After nine long years filled with anguish, three theories and unanswered questions, the family would finally get some much needed closure. On February 4, 2022, the Lawson family announced via their Help Find Brandon Lawson Facebook group that a few items Brandon was wearing that day were recovered and nearby human remains were found. Though the remains had yet to be confirmed as belonging to Brandon due to the proximity, it seemed an un obvious conclusion. Though the family had assumed that this was the case, they were saddened but thankful to see the conclusion of their search.

[B]

The family wrote, quote, although DNA tests are needed to confirm identification, in our hearts we know that it's Brandon. On a ranch property in the vicinity of where Brandon's car was recovered, a team set out to search a small corner which the property owner claimed had not yet been surveyed. It was there that they found both of Brandon's Nike Air Max tennis shoes encased in the dirt about 75ft apart, as well as the camouflage shorts that he'd been wearing that evening. So obviously finding his clothes is huge because he couldn't have gotten far without him. So when the search group notified Ladessa and Brandon's parents of their discovery, the investigation was revived. Because as you can imagine, you know, nine years have passed, almost nine years, and so many people are invested in this story. Everybody wants to know what happened to Brandon. He just vanished. There was no sign of him ever again. And now they found some items of clothing that are consistent with what he was last wearing in the general vicinity. But then around two weeks later, after meticulously combing the vicinity where the clothing was found, law enforcement came upon human remains. Though DNA testing would be necessary to confirm that obviously they belong to Brandon Lawson, like Heath just said, the assumption is that they do. However, now, 20 months after the discovery was initially made, his family is still awaiting official confirmation of the identity. As reported by his family, the sample of human remains may not be linked to Brandon. Due to almost nine years of exposure to the elements and possibly animals, the abilities of the investigators were super limited. So in September of this year, his family posted a bit of an update that reads, quote, we know that all of you have been waiting anxiously to hear the results of the DNA analysis of the human remains found early last year. Unfortunately, we still do not have those results. I know with this statement, the question many of you have is why? What is taking so long for these results? Here are some, not all, of the answers to those questions. As Ladessa stated, a number of weeks ago, very little remains were found. This presents a challenge at the laboratory because with each attempt of analysis, a small portion of the remains is destroyed in the process. The remains were exposed to the open elements for over eight years. This causes extreme degradation of DNA in the remains. So far, the remains have been to two separate laboratories in an attempt to overcome these challenges. All of this no doubt causes frustration. Bear in mind, no one is more frustrated by this than Brandon's family and loved ones. The Texas Ranger currently in charge of Brandon's case is weighing other options in an attempt to ID these remains. In respect to his investigation and the case itself, we cannot reveal what these options are. We will update everyone further as soon as we are able to. And again, that was posted in September of this year, which is 2023. And this is, I mean, obviously it's such an important update, but it's also really interesting to know that if these are his remains, since they're able to discern that they, those were his clothes that they found, that he didn't leave the area. So what happened to him? If he went out there? Did he die from exposure? Did somebody kill him out there? If he was indeed being chased and there was some sort of altercation, like, it just makes you wonder so much, especially if they only have partial remains, if we'll ever know how he died, if those are his remains. Because just knowing that he didn't flee, he didn't. Again, I'm saying all this under the pretense that those are his remains, like that would mean that he, he didn't leave the area and go off on his own volition and, and that he, he wasn't taken out of the area, but that he possibly was hiding and something happened to him after that.

[A]

And then also Thinking about the fact that he made that comment, you know, I can see you. Like, could he actually see his brother pulling up and in the deputy pulling up, was he unable to get to them? Like, what, what happened if he was so close to that same area where his truck was, was left?

[B]

And if he was like, mostly coherent during that last call with Kyle, what happened between then and whenever he died? Because if he was, for whatever reason, waiting for the police to leave, which also doesn't make sense because the warrant aside, he called 91 1. He wanted them to show up. So why was he hiding if he was in fact hiding? Like, it's just there's so many questions and his death just doesn't make a lot of sense. Like what caused his death out there?

[A]

You know, unfortunately, we may never know what exactly happened that night, but hopefully his family does get those answers and they'll be able to have some sort of closure in this case.

[B]

Yes. Well, his family is still very much hoping to positively identify him and be able to hold a proper burial for him over 10 years since he disappeared. His dad Brad maintains, quote, he deserves to be brought home to his family. If you have any information regarding the disappearance and probable death of Brandon Lawson, please call the Texas Department of safety at 512-424-5074.

Thank you so much everybody for listening to this episode of Going West.

[A]

Yes, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode. And on Tuesday, we'll have an all new case for you guys to dive into.

[B]

I know this is such a calm, complex and confusing story, especially with the 911 call having so many different options of what was said. So please let us know what you think. Go follow us on social media if you want to see photos and be able to comment your thoughts. Our Instagram is at Going west podcast, Twitter @goingwest pod and we're also on Facebook. We have a Facebook group called the Going west discussion group and we're also have a regular page just called Going West True crime.

[A]

All right, guys, I think that's it for today. So we'll see you guys next time. So for everybody out there in the.

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