Confession of Brittanee Drexel's killer revealed: 'I was a monster'

The man accused of kidnapping and murdering Brittanee Drexel during her 2009 spring break trip pleaded guilty to the charges in a South Carolina courtroom Wednesday morning and was sentenced to life in prison.

Raymond Moody, 62, a convicted sex offender and longtime person of interest, was charged with kidnapping, murder and first-degree sexual misconduct in Drexel's slaying. The 17-year-old Gates teen was on a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2009 when she disappeared.

It was the first court appearance for Moody, who earlier waived his right to a bond hearing and arraignment. He used a crutch when he entered the courtroom and appeared in a black jumpsuit with his hands shackled at his waist.

Prosecutors shared details of Moody's confession to the crime, acknowledging that elements of his story were self-serving while offering enough evidence to convince investigators that he had in fact committed the crime. They also said that Moody led them to the site where Drexel's body was recovered.

Following the guilty plea, Judge Ferrell Cothran Jr. sentenced Moody to consecutive terms of 30 years on the charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct, and a life sentence on the murder charge.

Break in Brittanee Drexel case came in May

In May, authorities announced that Drexel's remains had been found about 35 miles south of Myrtle Beach and that Moody allegedly confessed to the crime and led police to the location of Drexel's body.

The arrest warrant said Moody kidnapped and sexually assaulted Drexel and then killed her "by means of manual strangulation," but offered no other details about what happened or where the crimes occurred, other than within Georgetown County, about 35 miles south of Myrtle Beach. The warrant charged all of the crimes occurred "on or about April 25, 2009."

That's the same day Drexel was last seen leaving a hotel in Myrtle Beach.

Moody, a registered sex offender, had been considered a person of interest in the teen's disappearance for years, since he was stopped by police for a traffic violation in a beach town near Myrtle Beach one day after the teen disappeared.

Raymond Moody confession in Brittanee Drexel case revealed

Prosecutors said that advances in technology helped them better pinpoint the time Drexel disappeared while walking along a Myrtle Beach street. This helped lead them to surveillance video of a vehicle they believed Drexel was in, and that vehicle allowed investigators to focus on Moody and his girlfriend, Angel Vause.

In court, Assistant Solicitor Scott Hixson said that in April, investigators persuaded Vause to wear a wire during a conversation with Moody, which led to a search warrant of Moody's residence. Although that search turned up no evidence in the Drexel case, it did lead to Moody confessing to his role in the crime.

Prosecutors have said that after confessing, Moody led them to the location where he claimed to have buried Drexel. Authorities found remains there, and dental records and DNA analysis confirmed it was Drexel.

Hixson cautioned that Moody's version of events was "self-serving," but said investigators were able to cooperate enough key elements of the confession to lead to the filing of charges.

According to Moody, he and Vause had driven to Myrtle Beach when they spotted Drexel walking alone. He claims they invited Drexel to party with them and that she entered the vehicle voluntarily.

Moody said they drove to a campsite in Georgetown County where the three of them smoked marijuana. Moody told investigators that he hoped voluntarily sexual activity might occur with Drexel after she consumed marijuana.

After Vause left the campsite, Moody said, he decided to advance the situation. Moody said that when Drexel resisted, he seized her, compelled her to remove her clothing, and forced her to have sex through threats of violence.

Afterward, realizing that he might be sent back to prison for what he had done, he strangled Drexel. He then wrapped her body in a blanket and moved her to bushes nearby. When his girlfriend returned and asked where Drexel was, he said that Britanee's friends had arrived to pick her up.

Moody said he and his girlfriend left the campsite, but he returned alone during the middle of the night. He said he moved Drexel's body to another location where he buried her.

Drexel's family members gave victim impact statements in court which cast doubt on Moody's version of events, particularly the idea that Drexel went with him voluntarily.

Brittanee Drexel's parents address daughter's killer

Chad Drexel, Britanee's adoptive father, choked back tears as he described how devastated he was by his daughter's disappearance. He said it led to the disintegration of his marriage and his health.

"Thirteen years later, I find out the horrible, disgusting and senseless way she was murdered," Chad Drexel told the court. He called Moody a "perverted sick monster."

Britanee Drexel's mother, Dawn Pleckan,  said she wears Brittanee's ashes and photo around her neck.

"That's all I have left. That's all we have left after what you did to her," Pleckan said.

Pleckan said the evidence casts doubt on Moody's story that her daughter went with him voluntarily.

"I am so glad my daughter was feisty and fought back," Pleckan said. "She fought for her life. We know now she scratched the hell out of your face head and neck. You will forever carry the scars of what my daughter did to you and I hope you are haunted by her."

Pleckan said she was haunted by how many people Moody had harmed, and acknowledged the suffering of those who were unjustly accused of being involved in Drexel's killing. That was a reference to Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor, who was publicly named as a suspect in 2016. Members of Taylor's family were in the courtroom Wednesday to watch the proceedings.

Pleckan asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence, saying she hoped Moody would suffer in prison and every day for the rest of his life because of the harm and misery he caused so many people.

"You are a disgrace to your parents, your own children, your family, and any friends you have left," Pleckan told Moody. "You are a serial rapist and a child predator, and you should be ashamed of your actions."

Raymond Moody: 'I was a monster'

Moody spoke briefly, addressing the court after he acknowledged kidnapping, raping and killing Britanee Drexel. He spoke about his lengthy prison term for the 1983 abduction and rape case of a 9-year-old California girl.

"I served 20 years and I thought it was enough, but it wasn't," Moody said. "I was a monster then, and I was a monster when I took Brittanee Drexel's life."

Before sentencing, Moody acknowledged to the court that he had committed the crimes he was charged with and bowed his head as he expressed his remorse.

"I dont have the words to express how horrible I feel and I have felt ever since that day," Moody said. "I'm very sorry."

Our past coverage of Brittanee Drexel disappearance

From 2013:

More:Remains found near Brittanee Drexel site to be tested

More:Human remains not Brittanee Drexel, coroner says

From 2014:

More:Brittanee Drexel remembered 5 years after disappearance

More:Hope stays strong for Brittanee Drexel's return

From 2016:

More:Report: Brittanee Drexel shot, dumped in alligator swamp

More:Brittanee Drexel: FBI believes she's dead, offers $25K reward

More:Brittanee Drexel: Transcript details homicide claims

More:More leads into Brittanee Drexel disappearance, death

More:Vigil marks 7 years since Brittanee Drexel vanished

From 2017:

More:Brittanee Drexel: Latest search ends

From 2018:

More:Federal authorities think South Carolina man knows about Brittanee Drexel disappearance

More:Man questioned in Brittanee Drexel disappearance to be released

From 2019:

More:Brittanee Drexel disappearance still a mystery

More:Brittanee Drexel remembered 10 years later

From 2022:

More:Monday news conference in South Carolina could shed light on Brittanee Drexel disappearance

More:Remains of missing teen Brittanee Drexel found; man charged in death

More:Brittanee Drexel disappeared 13 years ago. What trail did police follow to Raymond Moody?

More:Brittanee Drexel’s mom opens up on 'GMA' about 'monster' accused of killing her daughter

More:Mother of man falsely accused in Brittanee Drexel case speaks out after suspect arrested

More:Mother of Brittanee Drexel to appear on Good Morning America

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Raymond Moody pleads guilty in Brittanee Drexel murder in SC