"I need the cops!"
The words that Brandon Mason Lawson spoke when he called 911 the night of August 9th, 2013 after his truck ran out of gas on highway 277 near Bronte, Texas.An oilfield 26 year old worker who was a father to 4 left his home late one summer night after getting in an argument with his long time girlfriend in an attempt to cool off. He was apparently going to his fathers house who lived in Crowley, TX. From his home, Crowley would be a 4 hour drive. It was let known that at midnight on the 9th of August, his longtime girlfriend Ladessa Lofton called Brandon on his cell phone and asked that he come home. If he was not going to come home then to at least go to his brother and sister in laws house for the night since it was closer to their home than his dads home. She apparently didn't want Brandon to drive that far that late at night. At 12:34am MULTIPLE calls are placed from Brandon's cell phone to Ladessa's cell phone, they all go unanswered as she let it be known her phone was in her car charging since Brandon took their ONLY wall charger with him. 
**** This is where my mind starts to wonder away from me with multiple different thoughts running with it. It is laid out within a timeline of events that Ladessa missed ALL calls from Brandon due to her phone being in her "car charging" because "Brandon took the only wall charger" they had.... HOWEVER, further down on the timeline it states that Brandon's brother called her in the middle of all the missed calls and SHE ANSWERED that call. But, ALL calls missed from Brandon were due to her phone being "locked in her car charging" as she was inside the home they shared? Let's be real here, one of my more reasonable thoughts is this, she was pissed off at him, they just had a fight, he took off, she didn't answer the phone because she didn't want to talk to him at that point in time. And that's okay. I know I don't answer my phone after getting into an argument with my BF and he leaves. ****
So, I have read COUNTLESS articles, documents, timelines, and listened to the 911 call that Brandon made in what's believed as his last moments alive. I have listened to these calls in the format of the original recording (what's believed to be the original), a slowed down version of the call, a text overlayed version of the call, and finally different frequencies of the call. After listening to these different formats of the call and taking notes to later compare them to the articles that were published there are (in my mind) a few recurring factors that play out.
For starters, This man is asking for help for a reason! The sheriffs department one multiple accounts stated that Brandon was no longer in Coke County, that he is the recipient of a felony warrant and decided to flee the area to not be captured. I'm sorry but this statement compared to the situation and how the situation played out makes 0 sense. What fleeing felon is going to call 911 asking on multiple occasions within the call ask for help and ask the woman to please send the cops to his location? And to make it seem as though he called 911 for the shear purpose of "I'm bored, let's mess with the cops!" In the formats of information on platforms such as Facebook, reddit, and YouTube there are a lot of theories, thoughts, and reasons behind the actions provided by the readers/viewers. Everyone has a right to their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. "To each, their own". However, it rubbed me as odd on a few of the comments provided by the contents viewers/readers that were referenced at some of the sounds/instances within the articles/call. One in particular. During the call you hear 3 loud boom style noises throughout the recording. Mind you, multiple sources claimed that the portion of the highway in which Brandon's truck ran out of gas was claimed to be an area that did not contain very much traffic day or night. No where in any articles, timelines, or 911 call recordings does it mention anything about, him being near, or under a bridge. However, comments from viewers are implying and saying the loud booms are that of cars passing overhead on the bridge he is hiding under.
It does not sound as though he is under a bridge but instead in or moving around some sort of brush. A cell phone ping did show his last known whereabouts 3 miles from the location his truck ran out of gas. It doesn't state in which direction though in all the articles and other source information that I have read/looked into. Previewing the map of the surrounding area it does look as though the bridge is incredibly far to get to on foot. Especially being in the woods late at night not being able to see what's in front of you. The area of his last known cell phone ping was never even searched by law enforcement. I have not been able to find out what reason is behind that not being done. Unless, it was one of the properties land owners refused to give permission to search.
There has been countless theories about what Brandon is saying on the 911 recording. Some say that he is being paranoid and things are playing out within his own mind due to relapsing on drugs that was causing him to be erratic, hyped up, and/or out of breath during the call.
**** The mindset has a natural fight or flight response when one comes face to face with a life or death situation as well as any other horrible encounter. ****
So, if he was in fear of his life, or attempting to get away from someone or something trying to harm him of course he is going to go into that fight or flight mentality causing him to sound/be erratic, hyped up, and/or out of breath. I surely would be if I was in any sort of that situation with my adrenaline going 100 miles per hour.
So, the 911 call. I have provided the transcript right below. **I did NOT transcribe the call, this was pulled off of the True Crime Society Blog.**
Brandon: Yes, I’m in the middle of the field …(inaudible)…(inaudible-possible: pushed some guys over or pushed some cars over) ..right here, goin’ towards Abilene, on both sides……..my truck ran out of gas… there’s one car here…(inaudible-possible….it (or I) got taken through woods.) Please hurry.
9-1-1 Emergency: Ok. Now. Run that by me…..?
Brandon: (possible “No, (or Oh) we’re not talking to em” ( inaudible) (inaudible- possible: “no I ran into em” “told you I ran into em”)
9-1-1 Emergency: Ahhh…you ran into them? Ok.
Brandon : (inaudible- Possibly saying… “yes, the first guy” or “not, the first guy.” or “got the first guy.” ) –– sounds to me like Brandon mentions someone having Buckshot. (ammo)??
9-1-1 Emergency: Do you need an ambulance?
Brandon: “No, I need the cops.”
9-1-1 Emergency: Is anyone hurt?
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?
(Original tape has three hello’s.)
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?
9-1-1 Emergency: Hello?
Now, I broke out all of my fancy, dancy, shmancy audio equipment and played around with it in order to try and better hear/understand what he's saying and what's going on in the background. This is what I think is being said:
911- 9-1-1 Emergency?
Brandon - Yes, I'm in the middle of a field, a Trooper just stopped some guys right here going towards Abilene, on both sides. My truck ran out of gas. There's one car here the guy's chasing it back to the woods. Please hurry!
Or,
I'm in the middle of a field where a capper (slang meaning - an informant mainly within gambling. - only definition that makes sense if that is the word being used) just pushed some guys over
"A snipper just shot some down"
A Sterling (town within Coke County) cop took those guys into the woods, right here going towards Abilene, to Bronte's side.
911- Okay, now run that by me one more time.
OVERLAPPED -
Brandon - Stop. They're not talking to them. hhhh (breathing out sound) I totally ran into them.
(a possible name to the person talking in the background) You're not taking them or (possible name) don't touch them.
911- Ahhh…you ran into them. Okay.
UNKNOWN THIRD VOICE IN CONVO -
PROTECT YOURSELF! OR "PACK YOUR STUFF" OR "CATCH YOURSELF"
Brandon - He (you) help(ed) the(m) first ! OR He shot THEM FIRST! OR Y'all PLEASE HURRY!
911- Do you need an ambulance?
UNKNOWN THIRD VOICE:
WHERE YOU AT? OR HE HAD IT.
Possible "GOT YOU THIS TIME"
YOU HEAR A FAST SOUND LIKE A SIREN OR HORN THAT'S BLOWN ONCE.
Brandon - No, I need the cops!
911 - Okay, is anybody hurt?
At this point the Brandon stops responding and you hear what people argue to be gun shots or cars passing over a bridge.
BACKGROUND NOISE
What people are arguing are the sounds of tires on an overpass of the Colorado River or even gun shots to me sound like hog grunts. When you come up on feral hogs on mistake or on purpose they have a very distinct noise that they make. Especially when they are rooting.
** I know this due to actually taking in a few baby boars at one point of another from feeling guilty (IDK why) of taking their momma sows from them and not wanting to cause a baby to boar to die because of it. **
However, at the end of the call, when the woman answering the phone at the nursing home for the Sheriff department is saying "hello" multiple times you can hardly hear nor make out what he is saying as you hear the background noises. To me it sounds as though he is begging for help saying "please, help me." OR "please don't hurt me. Just help me."
The more that I play around with this recording and listen to it over and over again I hear different words then the other people that have done so. I have resulted in making a promise to myself that I WILL eventually get this audio perfectly edited to make out what Brandon is saying word for word one way or another. I have become obsessed with this audio. It's a challenge so, of course me being me I say to myself out loud (alone mind you) "CHALLANGE ACCEPTED!"
In Feb of 2022 a recently sold property that was not searched in the years prior due to the owners not allowing anyone on their property to search including law enforcement, was searched by a family friend, Jason Watts who took with him, additional search party members. Located items that were believed to belong to Brandon on the property, they called law enforcement, which caused officers to search the surrounding area of the items found. The officers then found what was clearly human remains. They sent it off to be tested in a DNA testing lab to confirm OR DENY if the remains were Brandon's. The family posted an update on the FB page dedicated to finding Brandon that they were STILL AWAITING the results. That was in March of 2023. Brandon's Keys, Wallet, and phone are still missing, they were not with the clothing and shoes that were found. The only items found there close to the remains were a pair of shorts and a pair of shoes. The above referenced nor was his shirt where anywhere to be found around or with the items found.
So, what REALLY happened to Brandon on that summer night? Why have police officials or anyone other than the followers of the story ever mentioned the voice in the background? Why is it taking over a year to get the family the results of the DNA testing? They believe in their hearts it's Brandon which if it is honestly just leaves me with even more questions instead of answers. If he gave into the elements, where are the rest of his items. And before anyone says "hogs got the items" Hogs eat EVERYTHING, Bones, teeth, hair, nails, everything. There would have been the clothing yes but they would not have left any bones or remains if it were hogs, especially when they run in packs, one man would not "fill up" a hog pack if that was the cause of death. Did he get shot for trespassing on private land? Was the homeowner too scared to speak up after finding out they didn't miss if they shot to scare someone or something off? Did the property get sold because said owner was so ate up with guilt of that night they had to move away to try and outrun their guilt?
A call that his brother while in the area and Kyle was at his truck speaking to an officer stated he received the FOLLOWING day stated he was bleeding to hurry up, Kyle stated he did not tell the officer he spoke to Brandon for the thought of he figured that Brandon was hiding due to his warrant. I'm sorry, if my sister was out of gas, I went to her rescue, she calls me when I get there and tells me that she's bleeding to please hurry I'm telling that cop right then and there, and possibly even giving the phone to the officer. I would rather my sister be arrested and sitting in jail (especially if she relapsed) then to not say anything and not know how bad she is bleeding or why and risk not finding her after said cop has left. It's hard to try and put the pieces of this situation together. The only person that knows every last detail of that night and what happened is Brandon and possibly a third person if they were in fact within that close of a distance to see Brandon and interact with him or chase him.
Who is to say that the voice in the background of the 911 call isn't in fact his brother and the officer talking? Who is to say that the "car" that is on location is not him saying that the officer his brother met wasn't already on scene? Looking for Brandon and just pulled back up to the truck at the time Kyle arrived? Who's to say that when the woman on the other end asked if he needed an "ambulance" the additional voice wasn't saying yes right before he shot, stabbed, or hurt Brandon? And Brandon thought if he said not just a cop that the person wouldn't just leave in fear of the cops being close? Or, even if Brandon thought she was asking if EMT was on the scene and in response he said "no, just a/the cop." Why would he say he didn't need medics if he previously told Kyle that he was bleeding to hurry up? Unless, his adrenaline was still keeping him moving for that time and he didn't think his injuries were bad enough for EMT. Or, maybe thinking if he said yes it would take them longer to arrive than a cop.
There are so many different thoughts and ideas surrounding this case, people have said the 911 call was edited prior to being given to the family as requested since it took months to retrieve from police and due to the fact the woman never asks Brandon for his name or his location. This woman was NOT a licensed/certified 911 dispatcher as the county did not have any at the time. She was an RN that was on shift at the local nursing home where the phones for the sheriffs office rang. She could have thought that all of that information was logged when the person calls 911 that she didn't need to ask for that information. Or simple, she was unaware and didn't know how to handle the situation of the call due to not having previous experience with emergency assistance as far as Law Enforcement regulations are concerned. Law Enforcement and Nursing might as well be Earth and Mars because they are so different and hold different regulations, practices, compliance, and knowledge.
Let me know your theories, ideas, questions, comments, and requests in the comment section or send me a DM! I'm always glad to hear them as well as happy to get any feedback to better my writing, research, and blog!
Peace, Love, and Murderous Vibes to all you true crime junkies!
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