Angel Vause pleads guilty to lying in Brittanee Drexel case, bond is revoked

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Angel Vause plead guilty to lying about her involvement in the 2009 murder and kidnapping of Brittanee Drexel during a federal court hearing in Downtown Charleston on Monday.

Vause, 56, plead guilty to three felony counts for lying to federal agents back in 2022. Vause is the longtime girlfriend of Raymond Moody who is serving a life sentence after confessing to raping and murdering Drexel when she was visiting Myrtle Beach from New York.

“She acknowledged being right in the middle of the crime in terms of where she was while Ray Moody was assaulting and killing Brittanee,” U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday told reporters after the hearing Monday.

It was said in court as the details of the case were read aloud, Vause lied about her location during the crime and the location of Drexel’s cell phone. By pleading guilty, she also admitted to lying when saying Drexel voluntarily joined the couple to do drugs.

“Obviously these were important things for us to have known 15 years ago, 10 years ago, or whatever, and she lied to the FBI as recently as May of 2022,” Holliday said.

Vause has been out on bond after she was indicted in March. Judge Mary Gordon Baker revoked Vause’s bond on Monday, saying she poses a danger to the community.

Drexel’s mother also spoke after the hearing.

“I’m glad that the judge revoked the bond for her. You know, Brittanee didn’t have that choice. You know, she wasn’t let out for you know after she was indicted on these. Brittanee didn’t have no choice. So, I’m very glad she was reprimanded into custody,” Dawn Drexel said.

Two weeks ago, Vause was expected to plead guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents, but she changed her mind at the hearing. Now that she has admitted to guilt, she is facing up to 24 years in prison since each charge carries a maximum sentence of eight years.

“We’re hoping for a sentencing date around the time that we thought we would have trial, which is November 18^th or so, but that would be very fast for the probation office and they’re very busy people. So, I’ve made the request, in part at Dawn’s request, that we try to get it done by the end of the year, to start to provide some closure,” Holliday said.

Holliday said he expects to show a robust presentation with evidence during the sentencing. Vause was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center Monday afternoon.