Sheriff’s office: Brittanee Drexel murder suspect confessed following arrest, provided info on location of remains

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – The man accused of killing and raping a 17-year-old girl over a decade ago provided information on where her remains would be found, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

After 13 years, the sheriff’s office announced on Monday that the remains of Brittanee Drexel had been found in the Harmony Township area a couple of weeks ago.

She disappeared on April 25, 2009, while she was on vacation in Myrtle Beach from New York. She was last seen outside the Blue Water Resort on Ocean Boulevard.

RELATED COVERAGE | Sheriff: Brittanee Drexel remains discovered in Georgetown County; suspect charged in her murder

Raymond Moody is charged with murder, kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to Drexel’s disappearance. Arrest warrants show that Drexel’s cause of death was by “means of manual strangulation.”

On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office confirmed that Moody confessed after he was charged on May 4 with obstruction of justice. Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said Moody turned himself into his lawyer’s office on that day and from that point, Moody was taken into custody.

On that same day, officials said Moody provided information on where Drexel’s remains would be found.

The excavation process involved the FBI, State Law Enforcement Division, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgetown County Coroner’s Office. Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said the excavation started on May 4 and ended on May 7. He also said that her body was found about four feet in the ground.

On May 2, Moody signed over power of attorney to a man named Bryan Cooper, according to records obtained by WMBF.

We are working to learn more about Cooper.

Moody was first named a person of interest in Drexel’s disappearance in 2012, but up until this point, he had never been charged.

Right now, details are limited on what happened between Drexel leaving the Blue Water Resort and then being in Georgetown County. We are continuing to push for answers in this case.

RELATED COVERAGE | Brittanee Drexel’s accused killer faces death-penalty eligible charges, solicitor says

Richardson said while Moody’s charges are death-penalty eligible, it is early in the process and that decision has yet to be determined as of now.

According to Richardson, Moody has waived all rights to a bond hearing and arraignment. Richardson also told WMBF News a plea hearing is anticipated for later this summer.

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