// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Brandon Lawson's phone say after he died? It had a dead line.

Not to be confused with the disappearance of Brandon Swanson.

Brandon Lawson
Lawson before his disappearance
Born	Brandon Mason Lawson (1986-11-18)November 18, 1986 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Disappeared	August 9, 2013(2013-08-09) (aged 26) U.S. Route 277 near Bronte, Texas, U.S.
Status	Found deceased
Died	Near Bronte, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Oil-field worker
Known for	His disappearance and subsequent identification of his remains
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Partner	Ladessa Lofton
Children	4
Parents	Bradley Lawson (father) Kimberly Lawson (mother)
Relatives	Kyle Lawson (brother) Brittany Lawson (sister) Billy Brown (half-brother)

Brandon Mason Lawson (November 18, 1986 – August 9, 2013) was an American man who disappeared in the early hours of August 9, 2013, after running out of fuel along U.S. Route 277 about four miles south of Bronte, Texas. Lawson, who was 26 years old and worked in the oil industry, called his brother and 911 for assistance. The Coke County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and found his truck abandoned on the highway, but Lawson could not be located. A subsequent search of the surrounding area failed to find him.

Lawson remained missing for more than eleven years. In February 2022, human remains were discovered in the vicinity of his last known location after a private search located clothing believed to be associated with him; the Texas Rangers subsequently searched the area and recovered the remains. DNA testing later confirmed that the remains were those of Lawson, with his family announcing the identification in December 2024. The circumstances and cause of his death have not been conclusively established, and the Texas Rangers continue to list the case as an unsolved investigation.

Disappearance

On August 8, 2013, Brandon Lawson was at his home in San Angelo, Texas, where he lived with his longtime partner, Ladessa Lofton. Later that evening, Lawson left the residence and began driving north toward his father's home. During the early morning hours of August 9, he ran out of gasoline on U.S. Route 277 approximately four miles south of Bronte, Texas.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., Lawson contacted his brother Kyle Lawson and asked for assistance after running out of fuel. According to accounts provided by his family, Lawson made statements indicating that he believed people were following or pursuing him. Kyle and other family members subsequently traveled toward Lawson's location with a fuel container.

At approximately 12:50 a.m., Lawson called 911 and reported that he needed police assistance. The call contained several statements that were difficult to understand, and Lawson appeared distressed. The Texas Department of Public Safety later stated that the call was made from a location on U.S. 277 between Bronte and Abilene.

A short time later, a passing truck driver reported Lawson's vehicle, which was partially obstructing the roadway. A Coke County sheriff's deputy responded and found Lawson's truck abandoned. Family members who had been contacted by Lawson also arrived in the area, but Lawson could not be located. According to the Texas Rangers, searches by law enforcement, family members, friends, and volunteers subsequently failed to locate him.

Lawson was 26 years old when he disappeared. He was approximately 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall and worked in the oil field. He was also the father of four children. His disappearance remained an active cold case for years, with the Texas Rangers continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

In February 2022, human remains were discovered in the vicinity of Lawson's last known location after a private search party found clothing believed to be associated with him. The Texas Rangers subsequently conducted a search of the area and recovered human remains. In December 2024, DNA testing confirmed that the remains were those of Brandon Lawson.

The circumstances surrounding Lawson's death have not been established publicly. The Texas Department of Public Safety continues to classify the case as an unsolved homicide investigation.

Aftermath and discovery

Following Lawson's disappearance, law enforcement conducted searches of the area around his abandoned truck, but initially found no trace of him. His family and supporters subsequently established the "Help Find Brandon Lawson" Facebook page to publicize the case and coordinate efforts to locate him.

On February 4, 2022, Lawson's family announced that a search party had located clothing believed to be his near his last known location. The Texas Rangers subsequently searched the area and recovered human remains. At the time, the remains could not be conclusively identified and DNA testing was required.

On December 25, 2024, Lawson's family announced that DNA testing had confirmed that the human remains recovered in 2022 were those of Lawson, ending the uncertainty over his identity more than 11 years after his disappearance. The circumstances surrounding Lawson's death have not been publicly established, and the case remains unresolved.

See also

• List of solved missing person cases (2010s)
• List of people who disappeared mysteriously
• Unidentified decedent
• Missing person

Further reading

• Seamons, Kate (December 18, 2016). "He Placed a 911 Call 3 Years Ago, Then Vanished". Newser. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.