After wrapping up his last day and bringing his first year of college to a close, he decided to spend the night celebrating with his friends. And the law makes it clear who has jurisdiction. 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. Brandon did not call to report being stuck in a ditch until nearly 2am. Despite circumstantial evidence pointing to his stepmother, the case remains unsolved. So then the search was focused there, and the car was located.. He had a love for learning, especially science, so when he graduated from Marshall high school in 2007 he chose to stay home with his parents for a year, and get a certificate in renewable energy and wind turbines from Minnesota West Community and Technical College. 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. They will not allow us on their property. Risk-taking young adults? Brandon Swanson said he could see lights in the distance, which he believed were coming from the town of Lynd. 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. Having just wrapped up his second semester in wind energy at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Canby, Brandon Swanson gathered with his friends to celebrate. The river varied in depth, going from just knee-high to 15 feet deep, and at the time Brandon went missing, the river was racing fast. However, something tragic happened to him, but that's not what is debated about his disappearance. (Photo: AP). The Disappearance. Madison Grove. Unfortunately, on the way home, he ran into a bit of car trouble when his car veered a bit off the side of a gravel road and got stuck in a ditch. Brandons parents encourage him to flash his lights. Distinguishing characteristics for Brandon include Caucasian male. Unfortunately he would never make it there. Giants lefty Sam Long, the second-fastest worker in the majors last season, had already delivered a couple pitches to start the at-bat. Belt certainly knows that feeling. Guimond analysis maintains mystery. More than 14 years after the sudden disappearance of 19-year-old Brandon Swanson from the rural roads of southwestern Minnesota, the search for his whereabouts continues. I told the family early on that we will continue searching as long as we have clues to follow up on.". Photo courtesy . It seems that every tip that we receive, we investigate and we run into a dead end, he said. He has not been seen or heard from since this incident. "But I believe all our physical clues are probably located within a 15 foot radius, said Hasse. He has pierced ears and a small scar above his left eye. Chang, B. Divine, M. (2010, May 14). His calls to his parents the night before pinged off a cell phone tower near the small town of Taunton, 25 miles away from Lynd to the northwest of Marshall. At around 2 a.m. on the morning of May 14th, Swanson called his parents from his cellphone, informing them that he had accidentally driven his car into a ditch, essentially high-centering the vehicle. Rural roads of Minnesota remain last known location of 19-year-old Brandon Swanson. Numerous examinations were done, and his folks revealed a Brandon missing case to the Lynd Police. "When you have lost somebody but you have no answers, theres no knowing where they are or even what happened to them, said Annette Swanson. That type of excavation took place again as recently as the fall of 2021. Unfortunately, authorities were unable to find footprints to indicate in which direction Brandon ventured on foot (Brunswick, 2009; Weed, 2010). Though Brandon was barely 19 years old, the police response did not match the alarm his family and friends felt. Scientifically speaking, if his body were in the river, local authorities feel it should have turned up. I have covered a few cases that are not exactly unsolved murders but could be. On March 12, 2009, Brian and Annette Swanson spoke before the House to help expand the Minnesota's Missing Children's Act so it can help missing and endangered adults.The law requires Minnesota police to begin an immediate search for missing adults under 21, as well as older adults who are missing under suspicious circumstances. At the time Swanson went missing, it was flowing high and fast. During the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson disappeared under mysterious circumstances from a rural area northeast of Marshall in southwestern Minnesota. Annette and Brian Swanson were there when it was signed by the Governor in 2009. We were able to use the cellphone tower technology to have an idea of where his last communications or phone calls came from, so that put us on a cell tower up in that area, Wallen said. Another possibility is that this could be a case of vehicular homicide. Johns University in St. Joseph, Minnesota. The search had expanded tenfold now. Because it was assumed Brandon had fallen into the river, the search focused around the Yellow Medicine River and the surrounding area. Brandon Swanson was a normal, nineteen-year-old man living during what should have been the best years of his life. And where did he go?? A hastily abandoned vehicle, a 911 call placed by a panic-stricken man, and a disappearance spanning 6.5 years. In Minnesota alone, roughly three dogs possess the capabilities to carry out this type of search, although Anderson said its not uncommon for his team to utilize canines from other states. KSTP was there in May of 2008 as several agencies looked for Brandon. What is it and how did it come to be? If given the opportunity to move onto cattle property that has not yet been searched, Anderson said theyd be quick to accept that offer. The present search is now focusing on another body of water in the area, Mud Creek. Still on the phone with their son they say ok, were going to flash out lights, can you see us? Missing Tennessee college student Jasmine Pace was found dead. In addition, the examiners likewise looked around there; partners observed Brandon's neglected vehicle in a trench off a rock street along the Lincoln . Kare 11 News. Search dogs were brought in from the Twin Cities, and a team of bloodhounds from nearby Codington County, South Dakota were utilized. Doesnt mean its not possible but mathematically speaking thats a big reduction in likelihood. The farm fields where Hasse believes Brandon is are on Highway 68 between Canby and Porter, six miles from where his car was found. Taunton was actually directly on the way from Canby to Marshall, a town he drove through daily on his way to and from class. While traveling along the 3900 block of Lyon Lincoln Road, Brandon Swanson veered off the road and became hung up in the ditch. This prompted Brandon to. He started the night off at a party in Lynd, a small town just seven miles from his native Marshall. Credit: Google Maps Police said it wasn't uncommon for young men to drop off the grid and to wait a while, in case he turned up. The case of Brandon Victor Swanson is one of them. This would have meant going out on his own for the first time, but he was really excited about the opportunities to further his life and education. Brandon was 5 feet 6 inches and weighed 120 pounds at the time of his disappearance. The vehicle simply looked like it was stuck in the ditch, or partially in the ditch, He said. Question 1: What caused Brandon Swanson to vanish? Its believed he died of exposure. Hoping this will be a faster plan, he tells his parents to pick him up in the parking lot of a local bar/nightclub. As days bled into weeks, the search efforts slowly died down. Shortly thereafter, his car was located in a ditch near Taunton. Brunswick, M. (2009, June 29). They enlist the help of his friends, who participate in the search. Yet those tips havent led to the break in the case investigators have been hoping for. He told his parents that he believed himself to be near the city of Lynd and that the lights he spotted off in the distance were coming from there. He wasn't injured in the crash. Brandon grew impatient while waiting for his parents to find the right spot. The couple remained on the phone with their son until they heard him yell a swear word, followed by silence. #1. Brandon was legally blind from his left eye and had left his glasses in the car the night he disappeared, so he could have missed something in his peripheral, causing him to shout that expletive and fall. "But he wasnt on it. More than Ive ever seen in any other search. Search dogs picked up his scent on a trail near the river, which they followed to the water and which lead them to the other side of the river (lending credence to the idea that he had, at some point, fallen in), after which they continued north along the riverbank, towards the Yellow Medicine County line, where the trail suddenly ended. Star Tribune, p. 1B. The concerned parents continued searching for their son, and after being unable to find him at 6:30am, they went to the police to report him missing. Missing in Massachusetts: The Case of Neo Maximus AKA Charlie Allen Jr. Yup, it definitely sounds like murder. Join Facebook to connect with Brandon Swanson and others you may know. There were massive ground searches being conducted along with an aerial search of the fields. Brandon Swanson, a missing high schooler kid, was never found after he disappeared in 2008. That much I can say.. The most popular theory among authorities is that Brandon fell into the river. Not knowing what else to do, Brian continued driving up and down the roads calling and looking for Brandon. We dont dispute the reason why. College student focusing on Kolodziej murder (Jim Poole, Cobleskill Times-Journal, Feb. 21, 2012) A Minnesota college student planning a career in forensic psychology found the perfect case to study right here in Schoharie County. If he fell into the water along with his cellphone, all calls would have gone straight to voicemail. He loved his car, he loved to drive, said Annette Swanson. And at one point, we know for a fact, he ended up traveling on a field road between two fields.". There was nothing odd about it. Eventually, the dogs pointed them to farm fields north of Porter. They see darkness. Click-click. The temperature at the time of his disappearance was 46 F, or 8 degrees Celsius, and dropped to 39 F, or 4 degrees Celsius. That evening Brandon was at a friends house in Lynd, Minn., celebrating and consuming alcoholic beverages, but not in excess. He can see its lights in the distance, so it should not be too far of a walk. The Night of the Disappearance Interestingly, they also picked up Swansons scent on a piece of farm equipment nearby, but the farmer to whom it belonged denied the request of the authorities to search his property. Unfortunately, on the way home, he ran into a bit of car trouble when his car veered a bit off the side of a gravel road and got stuck in a ditch. There are no known personal, economic, or social motives that plausibly may have driven someone to murder Brandon; however, there are individuals who murder strangers because of a deep-seated usually sexual fantasy. What both Brandon and his parents thought though was that the other car was in the wrong spot. Seven-year-old Kyron Horman went missing from his elementary school on June 4, 2010, and hasn't been seen since. For those working on behalf of Emergency Support Services, its still important that they continue to try to access untouched property, yet they also know that the number of dogs trained to help them, at this point, is dwindling. TikTok video from Crime With Kourt (@crimewithkourt): "The Disappearance of Brandon Swanson. Brandon Lawson, 26, vanished along a desolate stretch of State Highway 277 outside of San Angelo, Texas which is about 250 mile southwest of Dallas on Aug. 9, 2013, according to the San Angelo Standard-Times. 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. It is not plausible that he drowned, because they would have found his body somewhere downstream. The Swansons then contacted Brandons friends and they searched the surrounding rural areas for any signs of Brandon. Swanson wears black wire-framed eyeglasses. Brandon thought he was near Lynd but he was north of Taunton. No physical evidence in his case has been uncovered. With no solid leads and no concrete evidence being found, the case quickly grew cold. He wanted to blow off steam and eagerly went to a party in Canby on May 14, 2008. . He hangs up the phone and tries to call Brandon back several times, but he never picked up the phone again. Reflecting on the last decade, however, those closest to the investigation and search efforts remain hopeful that. Her books are available on Amazon. It was around 2am when he called his parents on his cell phone, telling them that he had driven his Chevy Lumina off the road and into a ditch near the town of Lynd, Minnesota. What does not make sense to me is how Brandon could have suspected he was near Lynd, if he were driving Canby to Marshall, as Lynd is 7 miles BEYOND his home in Marshall, a further drive. And why did he believe himself to be near Lynd? They continued to search for him on their own throughout the morning. However, once they arrive to Brandons location, he is nowhere to be found. Not only was Brandon in contact with his brother, Kyle, moments before he disappeared, but they were also in the same area, possibly yards apart. Her work is primarily featured on The Vault. Hasse points to a map showing where Brandons car was found. Posted on October 13, 2021 Tarot of the Missing. However, later that day cell phone records showed Brandon was near Porter, Minnesota, not Lynd, when he phoned his parents. On May 14, 2008 Brandon Swanson, age 19, drove towards Marshall, Minnesota. But one question still lingered on everyones mind: What happened to Brandon? Brandon Swanson of Marshall MN, has been missing since Wed. May 14th, 2008. Annette says that was a problem in Brandons case because his car was found right where three counties come together. At around 2:30am, Brandon suddenly yelped oh shit! and the phone disconnected. He was sure hed given the directions correctly, and he decided he didnt want to wait anymore. but some landowners have refused to allow access to search parties working to find Swanson, missing since 2008. Instead, it is believed he fell into the river, causing him to shout that expletive, but got back out and kept walking. While his teams investigation has been extensive, relying on trained professional canine handlers and search dogs with advanced capabilities, there are still portions of land in that area that Emergency Support Services has not been allowed to access. On the law enforcement investigation end of the case, Wallen said tips continue to come in. Minnesota's Unsolved Missing Person and Homicide Cases 2023. 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. Multiple theories have been brought forward over the years to try and explained what happened that night. On May 14, 2008, Brandon Swanson left for home at midnight shortly after the celebration had ended. Still, he admits that the farming terrain has provided unique obstacles to this particular search. Brandon died of hypothermia after falling into the Yellow Medicine River. A Minnesota Tragedy. It was either false or the information wasnt accurate they all seem to run into a dead end.. 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. Around 10:30 pm, he left the gathering to drive to Canby, which is 30 miles away . Though they hear it through the phone, they hear nothing locally. Brandons family and volunteers have continued ground searches for him over the years, but absolutely no trace of Brandon Swanson has ever been recovered including his cell phone, and his glasses- items that I personally think would be likely to turn up if hed been injured in the wilderness somehow. Leaving a light on for hope Two years after Swanson disappearance, search goes on. To know you were running away to start a secret new life and to keep your dad on the phone for an hour while you fake your incident seems. If suicide were the case Brandons body would have been discovered rather quickly. The professional search manager on the case, Jeff Hasse, who writes the blog titled The Search for Brandon Swanson, updates the blog with information on the search and believes Brandons remains will be found in time. Do you part share the flyers, help a missing person find their way Home!! Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. While the search in and around Lynd continued, police were able to obtain Brandons cell phone records. The law is named after Brandon Swanson, whose car got stuck in a ditch near Taunton along the Lincoln and Lyon county line in southwest Minnesota on May 14, 2008. I have also written about a bit of a trend which tries to make disappearances more mysterious than they are. Brandon's family played a big role in changing state law to. "So weve got huge amounts of scent in here, said Hasse as he points at a map. At 6 a.m., Annette and her husband Brian called police. They searched the river high and low, but still, no sign of Brandon. However, authorities had no better luck finding Brandon or his car than Brian and Annette. 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. Kelsea Schneider is a senior at the College of St. Benedict/St. Additionally, there are many unmarked cisterns in the area and its possible that he could have fallen into one of them. Follow Books from this author Missing in Pennsylvania: Unsolved Cases from the Keystone. Brian and Annette Swanson never forgot about the nonchalance from law enforcement they encountered when they first reported their son missing. 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