Brittanee Drexel
Brittanee Drexel: Her Family Awarded $700 Million in Wrongful Death Lawsuit
By James Seidel | CC News Network
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – A South Carolina jury has awarded $700 million to the family of Brittanee Drexel, a 17-year-old from upstate New York who was kidnapped and murdered during a 2009 spring break trip to Myrtle Beach.
The lawsuit, filed in January 2023 by Dawn Drexel, Brittanee’s mother, accused Raymond Moody, the convicted killer, as well as Bar Harbor Resort Inc. and Smith Family Partners LLC, the resort entities where Brittanee was staying, of wrongful conduct that contributed to her abduction and death.
The jury found that Moody intentionally caused emotional distress to Brittanee’s family and held the resort partially liable for failing to provide adequate safety measures for young guests.
The verdict includes $200 million in actual damages and $500 million in punitive damages.
A Mother’s Warning Ignored
Brittanee Drexel left her hometown of Rochester, New York, in April 2009 to visit Myrtle Beach without her mother’s knowledge or permission.
“She asked me if she could go, and I told her no,” said Dawn Drexel in an interview after Brittanee’s body was found in May 2022. “I told her, ‘I don’t know the kids you’re going with. There’s no parental supervision. Something’s going to happen.’”
On April 25, 2009, Brittanee left the Blue Water Resort alone around 8 p.m. and was never seen alive again. She was last spotted on security footage walking along South Ocean Boulevard before disappearing.
Raymond Moody: A Decade Without Justice
For 13 years, Brittanee’s family had no answers about her fate.
Moody, now 64, a registered sex offender with a history of child rape, was first identified as a person of interest in 2012, but no charges were filed at the time.
A breakthrough came in May 2022 when Moody was arrested for obstruction of justice. He later confessed to kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering Brittanee Drexel before leading investigators to her shallow grave near Georgetown, South Carolina.
“I Had My Eye on Her”
Speaking with FBI agents in January 2025, Moody detailed how his then-girlfriend, Angel Cooper Vause, helped him target and abduct Brittanee Drexel.
According to Moody, Vause was “hunting” for a victim and spotted Brittanee walking alone.
“I had my eye on her and thought she was the one,” Moody admitted in FBI interviews.
Vause, 57, lured Brittanee into their Ford Explorer, pretending to be a fellow tourist offering a ride. Once inside, Moody handcuffed the teenager and demanded a $5,000 ransom.
They drove to a remote tent near the Santee River, where Moody retrieved a briefcase full of sex toys from his apartment before raping and strangling Brittanee. He then stabbed her with an ice pick to ensure her death.
Vause watched but did not participate in the assault. Moody buried Brittanee’s body at a construction site the next day.
Sentencing and Fallout
In October 2022, Moody pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
His girlfriend, Angel Cooper Vause, was sentenced in February 2025 to 18 years in federal prison for lying to the FBI about her involvement in Brittanee’s abduction.
“For more than a decade, Brittanee’s loved ones were left to imagine the worst possible scenario,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs. “We hope this sentence brings them closure.”
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Vause to 216 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Holding More Than Just Moody Accountable
While Moody is behind bars for life, Brittanee’s family sought to hold more than just her killer accountable.
Their lawsuit targeted Bar Harbor Resort Inc. and Smith Family Partners LLC, alleging that the resort’s lack of safety measures contributed to Brittanee’s abduction. The jury agreed, assigning liability to the resort entities along with Moody.
The $700 million award sends a message about corporate responsibility and the duty of businesses to protect young travelers from potential harm.
“My daughter didn’t deserve this,” said Dawn Drexel. “No family should have to go through what we have.”
South Carolina Juries
South Carolina juries have demonstrated a willingness to award massive damages in civil cases, as seen in the $700 million verdict for Brittanee Drexel’s family. This trend could have significant implications for Buster Murdaugh’s lawsuit against Netflix and Gannett, where he is seeking damages for alleged defamation. If South Carolina juries continue issuing high-dollar awards, media companies may face greater legal risks when covering high-profile cases. The Drexel verdict sends a clear message—juries in the state are unafraid to hold both individuals and corporations accountable, a factor that could impact Murdaugh’s case and future lawsuits against major media outlets.
Resources for Families
If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673)
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