Police say new tips have emerged in Brittanee Drexel murder case

Progress has been made in the Brittanee Drexel murder case since a June news conference where officials announced they believe she is dead, but Myrtle Beach police declined to 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 June 8 news conference 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. 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 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,” Crosby said, adding police don’t know when any arrests might be made.

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,” Crosby said.

Supervisory Special Agent Don Wood with the FBI field office in Columbia said it has 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.

This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 11:04 AM with the headline "Police say new tips have emerged in Brittanee Drexel murder case."