Human remains found in search for missing man who made harrowing 911 call more than a decade ago

Human remains have been found in the search for a man who made a 911 call in 2013, which could hopefully bring a decades-long search to an end.

Brandon Lawson, a father-of-four from San Angelo, Texas, vanished into thin air on the night of August 9, 2013. Stranded on a desolate road after running out of gas, he never returned home to his family.

Despite the passage of time, the determination of his loved ones and the San Angelo community refused to give in.

Their quest for closure received some hope earlier this year, as a search party stumbled upon a pile of clothing belonging to the missing man at his last known location, per the San Angelo Standard Times.

Promptly alerting local authorities, a thorough investigation ensued, culminating in a discovery of human remains that were unearthed in the vicinity.

"The Texas Rangers conducted a search that ultimately led them to discover human remains in this same area. Although DNA tests are needed to confirm identification, in our hearts ...we know that it is Brandon," Brandon's family said in a statement.

The circumstances of Brandon's disappearance were initially unveiled through a haunting 911 call he made the night he went missing.

In the recording, he frantically recounted his predicament, describing being pursued through the wilderness by an unidentified assailant.

"Please hurry," pleaded Brandon, his voice filled with fear. "There'll be no talking to them. I accidentally ran into them."

Listen to the chilling 911 call below:

As the dispatcher sought clarification, Brandon's voice fell silent.

The police report at the time stated: "The only sign of anyone being in that area was a spot under a tree where it appeared someone sat down close to the roadway within eyesight of where Lawson’s pickup broke down."

After the discovery of human remains near Brandon's last known whereabouts, the quest for answers continues. DNA analysis, pivotal in identifying the recovered remains, remains ongoing, prolonging the agony for Brandon's family.

Maintaining their commitment to transparency, Brandon's family has utilized social media platforms, notably a dedicated Facebook page, to keep the public abreast of developments in the case. In an update shared in October 2023, they revealed incremental progress in the forensic analysis.

"We do have a small update regarding the human remains found in February of last year," the post read. "Since our last post, the laboratory has been continuing to try to pull any kind of DNA/Genetic markers from the remains."

It continued: "A few weeks ago one of the tests was able to extract some information. This test confirms that the remains are in fact those of a Male. The test was also able to extract some Genetic markers that can be compared to DNA from Brandon's father in attempt to ID them as being Brandon.

"While The Texas Ranger in charge of Brandon's case stressed not to hang all of our hopes on this news. He did say that he was feeling positive about it, as are we."

Despite the cautious optimism expressed by the Texas Ranger overseeing Brandon's case, conclusive identification remains elusive as of today.

Featured image credit: Christopher Furlong / Getty