The Disappearance of Brandon Swanson (2008, Minnesota, USA)

The Night Brandon Vanished

On the night of May 14, 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson was driving home after a small celebration. He had just completed his first year at Minnesota West Community and Technical College. That night, Brandon left a friend’s house in Canby, Minnesota, planning to drive to his home in Marshall, around 30 miles away.

At approximately 1:54 a.m., Brandon’s car veered off a gravel road and into a shallow ditch. He wasn’t hurt — his car just couldn’t move. So he calmly called his parents, Annette and Brian Swanson, and asked them to come pick him up.

Brandon believed he was near the town of Lynd. His parents drove there, flashing their headlights. Brandon, still on the phone, said he couldn’t see them — but he could see lights in the distance. He told them he would start walking toward the lights and asked them to meet him at the edge of town.

The call continued for 47 minutes.

Brandon walked, talked, and stayed calm. He described fences, gravel, and even a stream. Then, without warning, he exclaimed:

"Oh, sh*t!"
— and the call went dead.

That was the last anyone ever heard from Brandon Swanson.

The Search and the River Trail

Authorities traced Brandon’s Chevy Lumina the next morning — not near Lynd as expected, but 25 miles away, near Taunton. He had been walking in the opposite direction from home.

Search teams used bloodhounds, helicopters, and hundreds of volunteers. The dogs followed Brandon’s scent for nearly 3 miles — along a gravel road, through fields, and to the Yellow Medicine River, where it ended.

Some dogs picked up his scent on the other side of the river, suggesting he may have crossed it. Still, no physical evidence, no body, and no further leads were ever found.

What Could Have Happened?

1. He drowned in the river.

The simplest theory is that Brandon slipped and drowned. But his body was never recovered — not even after extensive dives and sonar scans.

2. He met someone.

Did Brandon encounter a stranger — friendly or harmful — who took him away from the area? There’s no evidence, but it remains a possibility.

3. He got lost or collapsed.

Some believe Brandon may have succumbed to hypothermia or exhaustion. But why wasn’t he found anywhere near his last known location?

“Brandon's Law” and His Legacy

After being initially dismissed by law enforcement that night — who believed Brandon would “just come home” — his parents fought for change.

In 2009, Brandon's Law was passed in Minnesota. It requires police to immediately investigate reports of missing adults in potentially dangerous situations, regardless of age or lifestyle.

Brandon’s case remains open.

Still Unsolved

Seventeen years later, there is still no trace of Brandon Swanson. No confirmed sightings. No clothing, no phone, no body.

A calm phone call. A shout. Silence.
How does someone disappear without a trace — while on the phone — in the middle of open farmland?