Brittanee Drexel’s mother seeks additional charges against Angel Vause in meeting with top Horry County prosecutor

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The mother of Brittanee Drexel met with Horry County’s top prosecutor on Thursday to try and get kidnapping charges filed against Angel Vause, the longtime girlfriend of Drexel’s killer Raymond Moody.

Last week, Vause was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for lying to FBI investigators. After Vause’s sentencing, Drexel’s mother, Dawn Conley, said there is no closure — only resolution — and now she says she’s taking steps toward that.

Drexel was raped and killed in April 2009 by Moody when she was just 17. By Moody’s side was Vause, who a federal judge says helped coerce Drexel into Moody’s vehicle and three hours later, never tried to help her.

Conley met with 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson for about an hour on Thursday and came out of it believing Richardson will look into every possibility he can. If found guilty, Richardson says Vause could face up to another 30 years in prison and be considered a sex offender.

“To me, she’s already a sex offender,” Conley said. “My daughter was only 17 years old.” 

Richardson also said Conley was seeking murder and rape charges against Vause. Conley told News13 how she felt leaving their meeting.

“I’m content with the way it went today,” she said. “I expressed a lot of things to Jimmy. I believe that he is going to try to do the best thing that he can do.”

Conley says even before Vause’s sentencing, she was already planning to see about having kidnaping charges filed against her. 

She says this is her way of finding some kind of resolution, because you never find closure after losing a child. 

“Justice is sometimes a poor substitute for just not having this situation have happened,” Richardson said.

While Vause has 18 years in prison ahead of her, Conley says she wants to do whatever she can to fight for her daughter. 

“I think some of these issues need to be resolved in reference to, you know, Brittanee’s kidnaping,” she said. “And, you know, I just want full justice for my daughter. I want her to rest in peace.” 

Richardson says each charge would have to be looked at closely and have evidence supporting it. He says an important part is making sure this doesn’t affect Vause or Moody’s sentencing. 

“Of course, she [Vause] was there during the kidnaping, but the rape and the murder, then you couldn’t be charged as a principal,” Richardson said. “You would be charged as accessory before the fact or accessory after the fact. So, all of those things are information that the feds may have. Of course, we don’t have.” 

Richardson says while he can’t make any promises, he’s going to take some time to see if any of the charges Conley wants are possible. 

“We’re just not at a spot to make that call off the cuff,” Richardson said.

Conley says she’s also meeting with Myrtle Beach police chief Amy Prock since their department would have to charge Vause for Richardson to then prosecute. 

News13’s Adrianna Lawrence will have a full report, including hearing from Richardson on the likelihood of Vause facing more charges, in our 11 p.m. newscast.