Angel Vause’s federal plea hearing in Drexel case delayed over possible stiffer sentence

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WBTW) — The longtime girlfriend of Brittanee Drexel’s killer was expected to plead guilty Monday afternoon for lying to the FBI, but her hearing in U.S. District Court in Charleston was continued.

Vause, 56, was indicted in March for lying to authorities as they investigated Raymond Moody, who’s serving a life sentence after confessing to the rape and murder of Drexel, a 17-year-old from Rochester, New York, who was last seen while on spring break in Myrtle Beach in 2009.

Last month, Vause agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Charleston to two counts of making false statements to federal agents — each carrying a penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

But according to court documents filed on Wednesday — the planned date of her plea and sentencing — both sides agreed to a 10-day continuance as she now faces maximum penalties of eight years for each count.

Moody confessed in October 2022 to killing Drexel. Five months earlier, Vause told an FBI agent she went home to get keys from a truck while Drexel was being assaulted and killed, but the indictments said she was actually going somewhere else.

Authorities also said Vause told the FBI that Drexel had her cellphone the entire time, but it was later proven that Vause had it before tossing it somewhere between Georgetown and Charleston.

Prosecutors said Vause played a critical role in forcing Moody’s confession because they initially built a case against her before he claimed responsibility.