The disappearance of Brandon Lawson remains one of the most perplexing missing person cases in recent Texas history. In the early morning hours of August 9, 2013, Brandon vanished from a desolate stretch of Highway 277 near Bronte, Texas. The 26-year-old father of four had left his home in San Angelo following an argument with his longtime partner Lessa Lofton, intending to drive to his parents' house in Crowley. His journey was cut short when his silver Ford F-150 ran out of gas.

What began as a seemingly routine roadside assistance situation quickly evolved into something far more mysterious. Brandon's brother Kyle arrived at the scene to help, but by then law enforcement had already been called about the abandoned vehicle. When Deputy Neil arrived, Brandon remained hidden nearby, reportedly concerned about an outstanding warrant. After the deputy left, Brandon inexplicably vanished despite telling his brother he could see him just moments earlier. By morning, all calls to Brandon's phone went straight to voicemail, and he was nowhere to be found.

Key Takeaways

Brandon Lawson disappeared in August 2013 after his truck ran out of gas on Highway 277 near Bronte, Texas.
Despite his brother Kyle arriving to help and communicating with Brandon by phone, he vanished after reportedly hiding from law enforcement.
The case quickly transformed from a stranded motorist situation to a perplexing missing person investigation with few leads.

Disappearance of Brandon Lawson

On August 9, 2013, 26-year-old Brandon Lawson vanished under mysterious circumstances after his truck ran out of gas on Highway 277 near Bronte, Texas. His disappearance began as a seemingly routine roadside assistance call but quickly evolved into a perplexing missing person case that remains unsolved today.

The Emergency Call and Sheriff's Response

At approximately 1:00 a.m., the Coke County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about a stranded vehicle blocking part of Route 277. The department dispatched Chief Deputy Brandon Neil and Deputy Chris Fox to investigate, with each officer approaching from opposite directions. This was considered a routine call in an area where vehicles frequently ran out of fuel, as gas stations were spaced 30 miles apart along the isolated stretch of highway.

Kyle Lawson's Interaction with Law Enforcement

Around 1:10 a.m., Chief Deputy Neil located a silver Ford F-150 on the highway shoulder. Simultaneously, Kyle Lawson, Brandon's brother, arrived at the scene from the opposite direction. Kyle informed Neil that the truck belonged to Brandon, who had allegedly walked away from the vehicle. The chief deputy searched the truck for signs of a struggle but found none. According to the Coke County Observer Enterprise, Neil then decided to drive south toward the county line to look for anyone walking along the road.

Brandon's Warrant and Decision to Hide

What Kyle hadn't disclosed to the deputy was that Brandon wasn't actually walking down the road but hiding nearby. Brandon had an outstanding warrant for possession with intent to distribute from a county near Fort Worth. Despite being in a different jurisdiction, Brandon feared arrest if he revealed himself to law enforcement. During this time, Brandon was close enough to see Kyle, even telling him "I can see you. I'm right here" during a phone call, but remained concealed until the deputy left the area.

Circumstances Leading to the Disappearance

Brandon and his girlfriend Ladessa Lofton had been together for ten years and shared four children. Though never formally married, they were considered legally married under Texas law. The couple had relocated to San Angelo approximately a year before Brandon's disappearance so he could work at Renegade Oil Services alongside Kyle.

On August 8, 2013, around 11:53 p.m., Brandon left home following an argument with Ladessa. He called his father, Brad, stating he planned to drive to his parents' home in Crowley—a 3-4 hour journey. Brandon was scheduled to begin a better-paying job the following Monday.

Timeline of Events:

11:53 p.m. (Aug 8): Brandon leaves home after an argument
12:38 a.m. (Aug 9): Brandon calls Kyle reporting he's out of gas
~1:00 a.m.: 911 call about stranded vehicle
1:10 a.m.: Deputy Neil and Kyle meet at Brandon's truck

After the deputy left, Kyle waited 30-45 minutes for Brandon to emerge from hiding. When Brandon never appeared, Kyle returned home, not initially concerned for his brother's safety. However, when Kyle returned to the scene around 5:00 a.m., Brandon was nowhere to be found, and calls to his phone went straight to voicemail. What started as a simple roadside incident had unexpectedly become a missing person case.

Search Efforts and Missing Person Case

The events surrounding Brandon Lawson's disappearance shifted dramatically in the early morning hours of August 9, 2013. What began as a situation involving a stranded vehicle on Texas Route 277 quickly evolved into something far more concerning as hours passed without contact.

Kyle's Waiting Period and Return Trip

After Chief Deputy Neil departed the scene of Brandon's truck, Kyle remained nearby for approximately 30-45 minutes expecting his brother to emerge from hiding. During this waiting period, Kyle believed Brandon was in the immediate vicinity, especially since earlier Brandon had stated "I can see you, I'm right here" during their phone conversation.

When Brandon failed to appear, Kyle eventually left the area and returned home. At this point, he wasn't particularly concerned about his brother's safety, assuming Brandon had simply chosen to remain hidden temporarily.

Timeline of Kyle's actions:

Waited 30-45 minutes near the truck
Decided to return home when Brandon didn't appear
Felt no immediate concern for Brandon's safety

From Stranded Motorist to Missing Person

Kyle returned to the scene around 5:00 a.m., expecting to find Brandon waiting near his truck. Instead, he discovered an empty area with no sign of his brother. All calls to Brandon's phone went directly to voicemail, suggesting either a dead battery or no service coverage.

The situation had fundamentally changed in those few hours:

Earlier: Brandon was close enough to see Kyle
Earlier: Brandon was waiting for law enforcement to leave
Now: No visual or phone contact possible
Now: Four miles of mostly uninhabited land between the truck and Bronte

What initially appeared to be a simple case of someone avoiding police contact due to an outstanding warrant had transformed into a concerning disappearance. The landscape between Brandon's last known location and the nearest town offered few resources and minimal shelter, especially concerning since the seasonal homes in the area were unoccupied at that time.

This dramatic shift in circumstances marked the beginning of what would become a complex missing person investigation, with investigators facing challenging terrain and limited information about Brandon's final movements.

Background Information

Brandon and Lessa's Relationship History

Brandon Lawson and Lessa Lofton maintained a long-term relationship that spanned approximately 10 years, dating back to their high school days. Though they never formally married with a license or ceremony, the state of Texas legally recognized them as a married couple. Together, they built a family with four children and had relocated to San Angelo approximately one year before Brandon's disappearance.

The move to San Angelo was prompted by employment opportunities at Renegade Oil Services, where Brandon worked alongside his brother Kyle. Due to the demanding nature of their oil industry jobs and limited social connections in the area, the two Lawson families lived near each other for mutual support.

The Argument Before Departure

On the evening of Thursday, August 8, 2013, Brandon and Lessa engaged in a disagreement at their home. The altercation reached a point where Brandon felt compelled to leave their residence. According to Lessa's later interview on the Monday with Orion podcast, Brandon exited their home at precisely 11:53 PM that night.

Following the argument, Brandon contacted his father Brad around 11:30 PM, expressing his intention to drive to his parents' home in Crowley. It appears that Brandon viewed this as a temporary solution to the conflict, as he was scheduled to begin a new position the following Monday—a job that offered improved compensation and benefits compared to his previous position.

Brandon's Trip to His Parents' Home

Brandon's planned journey to Crowley would have typically taken between 3-4 hours by car, putting his expected arrival time between 3:00 and 4:00 AM on August 9th. However, Brandon encountered difficulties less than an hour into his trip north on Route 277 when his silver Ford F-150 ran out of fuel.

At approximately 12:38 AM on August 9th, Brandon called Kyle requesting assistance, specifically asking for a gas can to be brought to his location. Kyle contacted Lessa, who placed a gas can on their porch for Kyle to collect. Kyle, accompanied by his wife and four-year-old son, then drove to a gas station in San Angelo to fill the container. Unfortunately, Kyle discovered he had insufficient funds in his account to purchase the gas, complicating the situation further.

The Night Brandon Vanished

Brandon's Call Records and Movements

Brandon Lawson and his girlfriend Lessa Lofton had been together for a decade, raising four children and considered legally married under Texas common law. They had relocated to San Angelo approximately a year before the incident, where Brandon worked at Renegade Oil Services alongside his brother Kyle.

On Thursday, August 8, 2013, Brandon and Lessa had an argument at their home. Following this disagreement, Brandon called his father Brad around 11:30 PM, expressing his intention to drive to his parents' home in Crowley. According to Lessa, Brandon departed their residence at 11:53 PM.

At 12:38 AM on August 9th, Brandon called Kyle to report he had run out of gas while traveling north on Route 277. He requested Kyle bring a gas can to help him reach the nearest station. Lessa, upon receiving a call from Kyle, left a gas can on their porch before returning to bed.

Kyle's Journey to Assist Brandon

After speaking with Brandon about his predicament, Kyle gathered his wife and four-year-old son to help his stranded brother. They first stopped at a gas station in San Angelo, where Kyle discovered he lacked sufficient funds to purchase gas.

Shortly before 1:00 AM, the Coke County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about a vehicle blocking Route 277 near Bronte, Texas. Chief Deputy Brandon Neil and Deputy Chris Fox were dispatched to investigate, approaching from opposite directions.

Around 1:10 AM, Deputy Neil located a silver Ford F-150 partially on the shoulder. Kyle had already arrived at the scene and informed Neil that the truck belonged to his brother Brandon. Kyle told the deputy that Brandon was walking up the road, though this wasn't entirely truthful - Brandon was actually hiding nearby due to an outstanding warrant for possession with intent to distribute.

After checking the vehicle and finding no signs of struggle, Deputy Neil continued south to search for anyone walking along the highway. Meanwhile, Kyle waited 30-45 minutes for Brandon to emerge, but he never appeared. Kyle then returned home, not particularly concerned for his brother's safety at that point.

When Kyle returned to the scene around 5:00 AM expecting to find Brandon waiting by his truck, he discovered his brother was nowhere to be found. Calls to Brandon's phone went straight to voicemail, transforming what seemed like a simple situation into a concerning disappearance.

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