A Teenage Girl Vanishes From a Popular Tourist Destination — A Decade Later, Her Killer Is Brought to Justice

When 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel stopped answering text messages mid-conversation during a spring break trip in April 2009, her friends and family instantly knew something was seriously wrong. Drexel — who was last seen on video camera footage leaving a hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — had seemingly vanished into thin air, creating a heartbreaking mystery that would haunt her friends and family for more than a decade. Now, “20/20” gives viewers an exclusive inside look at how a new FBI team assigned to the case finally brought justice to Brittanee with the arrest of convicted sex offender Raymond Moody and brings viewers inside the dramatic courtroom confrontation between Brittanee’s mom and her daughter’s killer for the first time.

The two-hour program features reporting from ABC News correspondent Ryan Smith and exclusive interviews with the FBI team who painstakingly investigated this case: Special Agent Michael Connelly, Special Agent James Cavanagh and intelligence analyst Caleb Messer. The episode also includes interviews with family members of the victim, including her parents, Dawn Drexel and John Kahyaoglu, and her siblings. “20/20” also features interviews with Jessica Fico, one of Brittanee’s close friends, and Ernest Merchant, Moody’s former romantic partner. Other key interviews include Lt. Traci Chanaca from the Myrtle Beach Police Department and Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office senior investigator Hank Carrison. “20/20” airs on Friday, March 8 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC, next day on Hulu.

ABC News’ “20/20” is the No. 1 award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 45 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9:01-11:00 p.m. EST on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms and Hulu.

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Sarah Jautz
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Bridgette Maney
bridgette@bridgepr.net