Brandy Renee Hanna was a 32-year-old woman living a quiet life in Charleston, South Carolina, known by loved ones for her shy demeanor and close relationship with her family. On May 20, 2005, her life took a sharp and mysterious turn. After finishing her shift as a waitress at Alex's Restaurant on Dorchester Road around 3:00 p.m., she accepted a ride home from an acquaintance. Later that evening, she spoke with her mother, Donna Parent, on the phone at 5:50 p.m.
and exchanged text messages with others at 8:00 p.m. and 10:19 p.m. A friend arrived at her apartment on Florida Avenue at 10:30 p.m. for a planned shopping trip, but Brandy did not answer the door. This was the last time anyone had any confirmed contact with her. When her mother's calls went unanswered throughout the weekend, a deep sense of unease settled in, as it was highly uncharacteristic for Brandy to be out of touch.
The days following her last known contact were filled with growing concern. After Brandy failed to show up for work, her mother and then-boyfriend went to her apartment to check on her. Inside, they found a scene that was both ordinary and unsettling. There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry; a blanket was on the couch and a cup of tea sat on a table, as if she had just stepped out and planned to return shortly. All of her personal belongings, including her money and clothing, remained in the apartment. The only item missing was her cell phone, which had been turned off. Initially, police were hesitant to file a missing person report, but they officially began an investigation on May 27, a week after she was last heard from. Friends and family were adamant that Brandy, a quiet homebody who didn't own a car, would not have voluntarily left her life behind. The day she vanished, she had reportedly received a disturbing phone call at work that left her visibly frightened, confiding in a customer that she was afraid of someone, though she did not say who.
Years passed without any significant breakthroughs, leaving her family in a state of prolonged uncertainty. The investigation eventually focused on two men from her past: an ex-boyfriend of six years, Michael Ray McAdams, and a more recent ex-boyfriend, Garland 'Zeke' Lankford, with whom she had briefly lived before he ended their relationship just weeks before her disappearance. A witness claimed to have seen Brandy getting into a red van, a vehicle type that both men drove. McAdams passed away in 2006, adding another layer of complexity to the cold case. A major development occurred in December 2016, when Garland 'Zeke' Lankford was charged with obstruction of justice. He admitted that his initial statements to police in 2005 were false; he had claimed to be working late on the night Brandy disappeared, but time sheets proved he had clocked out at 4:00 p.m. Lankford also confessed that he 'may have' visited her apartment that night and had previously provided misleading, anonymous tips to the police. Despite these developments, no one has ever been charged directly with Brandy's disappearance. Brandy Hanna was legally declared deceased in 2013, and her case remains an unsolved homicide investigation, a heart-wrenching mystery for her loved ones who continue to seek answers.Last Seen: May 20, 2005
