Police have tips on Brittanee Drexel murder case, but won’t say if suspects identified

Progress has been made in the Brittanee Drexel murder case since a June news conference where officials announced they believe she is deceased, but Myrtle Beach police can’t say if suspects have been identified for fear of jeopardizing the investigation.

“As to not compromise the investigation, we are not prepared to say if we have a suspect or suspects,” said Lt. Joey Crosby, spokesman with Myrtle Beach police.

Tips and information have come in since the news conference held June 8 in the McClellanville area where Federal Bureau of Investigation officials said they believe she was held for several days after her April 2009 disappearance then killed.

“We’re positive about the leads and the information we’ve received through the tips we’ve gotten,” said Crosby of the open investigation.

Officials have declined to comment on what specific evidence leads them to believe Drexel was murdered and her family pleaded at the news conference for information on the whereabouts of Drexel’s remains so they can lay her to rest.

Drexel was 17 years old when her family said she came to Myrtle Beach without their knowledge on a spring break trip with a group of friends. She was last seen leaving the Blue Water Resort at 2001 S. Ocean Blvd. on April 25, 2009. Crosby said the people she traveled with aren’t suspects.

Drexel traveled from Myrtle Beach to the McClellanville area where she was held against her will for several days before she was killed, officials said.

Police don’t believe she was involved in human trafficking, but said they are keeping an open mind as they continue to investigate all possibilities.

“We’re gonna keep an open mind through the investigation to make sure we’re open to all possibilities, but right now the evidence doesn’t lead us to believe that,” said Crosby who also said police haven’t put a timetable for any arrests or conclusions for the investigation.

Authorities are still calling for more information to solve the mystery of Drexel’s death, Crosby said.

“Someone out there has information. They may feel like it’s irrelevant and it’s not pertinent, but what we’re asking them to do is please step forward, give us a call and we’ll investigate,” said Crosby.

Supervisory Special Agent Don Wood with the FBI field office in Columbia said that they have received tips since the conference, but also declined to comment on whether a suspect or suspects have been identified in the case.

The case is still actively being investigated, Wood said. The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Drexel’s killer or killers, and so far none of that money has been given to anyone, Wood said.

Dawn Drexel, Brittanee’s mother, could not immediately be reached for comment on the case’s progress.

Tips can be left at 1-800-CALL-FBI.