The most recent major search effort was conducted August 7-8, 2010. 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. When police obtained Swansons cell phone records, they discovered that he had actually been near Porter that night, which is roughly 25 miles away from where he told his parents he was. On the night of 14 May 2008, after celebrating the last day of college classes with a friend, he was driving home along a gravel road, and somehow crashed his car into a ditch. Murdered in Texas: The Case of Amber Hagerman, Missing in Texas: The Case of Patty Vaughn, Unidentified in Virginia: The Case of the Christmas Tree Lady, Missing in California: The Case of Khadijah Britton, Unidentified in Texas: The Case of the Galveston Doe, Seeds of Hope: The Closed Case of Mostly Harmless, Missing in Tennessee: The Case of Summer Wells, Missing in Pennsylvania: The Case of Kortne Stouffer, Welcome to the Lost Souls of America Podcast, Vanished in the Dark: Where is Brandon Swanson Article on Medium by Jenn Baxter, Brandon Swanson: Missing without a trace by Rebecca Klein. Leaving the car and navigating dark fields, Brandon called his parents for help. Brian drove Anita home, and promised to meet Brandon in the parking lot of a bar at the edge of town. Though Brandon was barely 19 years old, the police response did not match the alarm his family and friends felt. Theyve performed 1,900 K-9 missions, using 45 highly-trained dogs, led by 35 handlers from nine states. At 3:10 a.m. Brandon shouted an expletive and the call ended abruptly. After some time, Brandon decides to stray from his initial plan of waiting by his car and instead tells his parents that he will head towards Lynd. Brandon Swanson said he could see lights in the distance, which he believed were coming from the town of Lynd. The call didnt end at that point, though. 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. Swanson's case remains unsolved. He always seemed to have his nose in a book, making reading his favorite pastime. Its his right to be missing, one officer reportedly said to the worried parents. Brandon died of hypothermia after falling into the Yellow Medicine River. That much I can say.. After some attempts to free the car himself and trying to call some friends, Brandon decided to give his parents, Brian and Annette Swanson, a call at around 1:54 a.m. to let them know what happened. The same argument holds true for Mud Creek, so it would be a mistake to focus all of the search efforts on that location. "But I believe all our physical clues are probably located within a 15 foot radius, said Hasse. He was calling for help. But still, nothing. Finally Swanson decided on a different course of action. Retrieved n.d., from http://www.kare11.com/news/ts_article.aspx?storyid=511468. The dogs followed his trail across an abandoned farm, and then along the Yellow Medicine River. It is not plausible that he drowned, because they would have found his body somewhere downstream. Maybe you`ve heard of it. Risk-taking young adults? 2023 first . KSTP was there in May of 2008 as several agencies looked for Brandon. Scientifically speaking, if his body were in the river, local authorities feel it should have turned up. To try and help his parents out, Brandon decides to try flashing his headlights instead. Map showing Brandon's route | Photo Credits: Thomas Lauth Missing Persons Investigation Worldwide Brandon was a promising student, who was happy to have a break after studying wind turbines for an entire semester at the Minnesota West Community and Technical College. All Rights Reserved. Leaving a light on for hope Two years after Swanson disappearance, search goes on. Brandon Swanson was 19 years old when he went missing from rural roads near Marshall, Minn. in the early hours of May 14, 2008. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Question 1: What caused Brandon Swanson to vanish? Right off the bat, police were not convinced that Brandon was actually missing. So they drove out there looking for him. 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. Minnesota's Unsolved Missing Person and Homicide Cases, Age: 19Vanished: 5/14/2009From: Taunton, MNHeight: 56Weight: 125 lbsEyes: Blue. In May of 2008, the night before he was to graduate from technical school, the 19 year old went out celebrating with friends in Canby, Minnesota. Retrieved Nov. 18, 2010, from http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/49466647.html. He brought in expert handlers with trailing dogs. He had been out earlier that night and gone to a couple of parties before making his way home to Marshall, Minnesota. Brian and Anette arrive where Brandon has told them he should be, and they cant seem to find his car. "I believe he fell, got wet, cell phone went dead, said Hasse. Still, efforts to uncover any new evidence or clues carry on and Brandon Swansons family continues to wait for answers, while those involved in search efforts continue to wait for access. Jason Chen, her boyfriend and accused killer, is currently being held without bond. But the thing that really eliminates this for me is the phone call with his dad. Cloud Times. You can find out more information here. Up and down side roads and gravel paths, and even the bar in Lynd. Immelman, A. CNN Justice, 1-3. On May 14, 2008 Brandon Swanson, age 19, drove towards Marshall, Minnesota. Eliminating those roadblocks for other families was the goal behind Brandons Law, a Minnesota law passed in 2009 that requires law enforcement to immediately take a missing persons report and begin an investigation for all situations, regardless of the age of the person believed to be at risk. We only need one.". He hasn t been heard from since. Trying to explain how Brandon could have mixed up his location has proven challenging. So what happened in the time that is unaccounted for? A Hubbard Broadcasting Company, You can find out more information about the Jacob Wetterling Resources Center here, You can find out more about the organization here. Click-click. With each passing year, different types of search dogs are required to pick up on aging scents. David Francis, left, and Brandons father Brian Swanson at right with glasses. Marshall, MN. People at the party report that Brandon had one alcoholic drink that they noticed, and that he seemed fine, not inebriated in any way. When an individual dies and the cause of death is unknown or uncertain, investigators employ the psychological autopsy, or equivocal death analysis. The most popular theory among authorities is that Brandon fell into the river. Brandon's family played a big role in changing state law to. "And when one goes as long as this, you know the family has put their hopes on your shoulders. At the time of his disappearance Brandon was 19 years old, 5'6" and 120 lbs. It seems impossible that they could walk away from their vehicles, sometimes even leaving their clothes behind and . Lynd, where Brandon thought he was, is southwest of Marshall. With the river dried up due to drought, Wallen said the excavation crew went to work and still came up with nothing. But Annette says her son was actually in a completely different place than he was telling them. The USA and similar big nations have all . Thats not surprising to Ken Anderson of Emergency Support Services, who has focused his teams efforts on the area northwest of Porter, Minn, a zone that has proven to be of repeated canine interest. One speculation is that maybe Brandon took side roads home in an effort to avoid any police traps where he may have been pulled over, which would have led him into less familiar territory than his normal road to school. Then, at around 2:30 a.m., 47 minutes into the phone call, Brandon suddenly interrupts himself on the phone, exclaiming, Oh, s***! and goes silent for the remainder of the call. It was their way of turning their intense grief, pain and frustration into something useful for other families in the future. He was cold and wet and actually walking in the opposite direction of his home and where his parents were looking for him. Despite this, Brandon is sure that he knows where he is and gave them exact directions. Brian began flashing the lights of his pickup truck and instructed Brandon to do the same. Brandon excelled in school. His vehicle was found locked and abandoned the next day and eventually his laptop and the computer's hard drive were recovered from the nearby Susquehanna River. Missing. The initial search for Brandon Swanson included trained search dogs, hundreds of volunteers and air surveillance. For nineteen-year-old Brandon Swanson, May 13, 2008 was an exciting day. He loved his car, he loved to drive, said Annette Swanson. He told his parents he was walking toward the small town and made plans to meet them at a local business. Wanting to spare other families from having to deal with this, and also knowing how crucial it is in a missing persons case to start investigating as soon as possible, they lobbied for the passing of what would become known as Brandons Law, which would require law enforcement to immediately begin a preliminary investigation when an adult goes missing under dangerous circumstances, regardless of their age. Numerous examinations were done, and his folks revealed a Brandon missing case to the Lynd Police. May 12-15, 2011 Searches: The plan for the May 12-14 searches was to detail - search by HRD canine as many fields as possible in the area surrounding Mud Creek. That evening Brandon was at a friends house in Lynd, Minn., celebrating and consuming alcoholic beverages, but not in excess. A canine unit led law enforcement agents to the Yellow Medicine River, a roughly 3-mile trip from the location of his vehicle, indicating that Brandon Swanson had traveled on foot to the rushing spring water. Weve had excavators come in and sift through the dirt, looking for something, whether its remains or property, Wallen said. This theory has been widely criticized, however, due to the fact that there is simply no evidence to suggest he died of hypothermia. En route, he crashed into a ditch. 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. So he did what I think most 19 year olds on their way home would do- he called his friends!! Asha has not been seen since. Nothing unusual was found in or around the vehicle; there was no significant trace evidence, no signs of blood, and no indication of a struggle. Authorities immediately assumed that Brandon had fallen into the Yellow Medicine River. 01:13:04. It was either false or the information wasnt accurate they all seem to run into a dead end.. 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. The dogs did follow what was believed to be Brandons scent to the river and that was it, Wallen said. He can see its lights in the distance, so it should not be too far of a walk. 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