South Carolina jury awards Brittanee Drexel’s family $700M in teen’s 2009 murder
The tragic case of Brittanee Drexel, a 17-year-old girl who was kidnapped and murdered during a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach in 2009, has recently come to a conclusion with a South Carolina jury awarding her family $700 million in damages. The lawsuit, filed by Brittanee’s mother, Dawn Pleckan, in January 2023, accused Raymond Moody, the man responsible for her daughter’s death, as well as Bar Harbor Resort Inc. and Smith Family Partners LLC, of wrongful conduct that led to Brittanee’s murder while she was on vacation with friends.
The jury’s verdict, reached last month, included $200 million in actual damages and $500 million in punitive damages, reflecting the emotional distress caused to Brittanee’s family by Moody’s actions. Moody expressed remorse in court, acknowledging that his regrets could never undo the pain he had caused. His girlfriend, Angel Cooper Vause, was also sentenced to 18 years in prison for lying to investigators about her involvement in Brittanee’s abduction and murder.
Brittanee’s disappearance on April 25, 2009, was the result of a heinous crime committed by Moody, who kidnapped her while she was walking alone in Myrtle Beach. He took her to a remote campsite near his home, where he raped and murdered her before disposing of her phone in a river and burying her body in a shallow grave. Security footage from the Blue Water Resort captured the last moments of Brittanee’s life as she entered the resort before vanishing.
After more than a decade of uncertainty, Vause finally revealed the truth about Brittanee’s fate, leading to the discovery of her remains in 2022. Moody, aged 62 at the time, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping, and murdering Brittanee, receiving a life sentence for his heinous crimes. The closure brought by these developments was a bittersweet victory for Brittanee’s loved ones, offering some measure of justice for the young girl whose life was cut short so tragically.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking justice for victims of violent crimes and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. The $700 million award to Brittanee’s family is a testament to the profound impact of her loss and the lasting legacy of a life taken too soon. May Brittanee rest in peace, knowing that her memory will be honored through the pursuit of justice by those who loved her.
