He called his brother saying he'd run out of gas. Minutes later, he called 911 saying he'd "run into somebody" and needed a cop, and that he was bleeding. Then his phone went dead, and no one has heard from him since.
Brandon Lawson, 26, disappeared near Bronte, Texas, in the early morning hours of August 9, 2013. Despite a documented 911 call and search efforts, he has never been found.
A Night That Started With an Argument
Lawson, an oil field worker and father of four, left his home in San Angelo around 11:54 p.m. on August 8, 2013, after an argument with his longtime girlfriend, Ladessa Lofton. About 45 minutes later, he called his brother, Kyle, saying he'd run out of gas.
A 911 Call That Wasn't Passed Along
Shortly after calling his brother, Lawson called 911 himself, telling the dispatcher he was in a field and needed a police officer, and stating he had "run into somebody." A separate 911 call came in from a passing trucker who'd noticed Lawson's truck parked haphazardly along U.S. 227. A sheriff's deputy responded to the truck around the same time Kyle and his girlfriend, Audrey, arrived with a gas can — but there was no sign of Lawson. His keys and cellphone were both missing from the truck, though there was no visible damage to the vehicle.
A Confusing, Incomplete Picture at the Scene
While Kyle was speaking with the responding deputy, Lawson called him again on a breaking-up connection, saying he was about ten minutes up the road and that he was bleeding, before the call cut out. Kyle didn't mention this to the deputy at the time, and it's unclear whether the deputy was aware Lawson had separately called 911 himself. Kyle later said he'd assumed his brother might be avoiding contact with police because of an outstanding warrant Lawson had recently learned about and planned to resolve. Lawson's family only learned of his 911 call afterward, when they reviewed his phone records.
A Search With No Results
A search of the surrounding area turned up no trace of Lawson, and a more extensive professional search-and-rescue effort in October 2013 was similarly unsuccessful. There has been no activity on his bank accounts or cellphone since the night he disappeared.
A Family Convinced Something Happened to Him
Lawson's family has maintained that his outstanding warrant wasn't connected to his disappearance and that he wouldn't have simply run from police over it. Despite investigators stating there was no clear evidence of foul play, his family has described his disappearance as completely out of character and has continued expressing fear for his safety in the years since.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Brandon Lawson ever been found?
No. Despite search efforts, he has never been located, and there has been no activity on his accounts since he disappeared.
What did Brandon Lawson say in his 911 call?
He told the dispatcher he was in a field, needed a police officer, and said he had "run into somebody," before later telling his brother by phone that he was bleeding.
Do investigators believe foul play was involved?
Officially, investigators have stated there's no clear evidence of foul play, though his family disputes that his disappearance can be explained by his outstanding warrant alone.