Girlfriend of Brittanee Drexel's killer rejects settlement and faces trial

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – The girlfriend of the man convicted of murdering 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel was set to plead guilty for her role in the killing, but a last-minute change in ruling means the case will now go to federal court.

Angel Vause, 56, of Georgetown faces two counts of making false statements to a federal agent about her knowledge of Drexel's kidnapping and murder by Vause's friend Raymond Moody.

Vause appeared in federal court in Charleston on Tuesday and was expected to plead guilty to two counts of making a false statement to a federal agent.

Tuesday's decision was a shocking moment in the courtroom when Vause decided to change her plea after already signing the guilty plea and accepting the charges and sentence.

Vause appeared to have changed her mind as prosecutors reviewed the evidence in the case, and she denied two of the facts presented.

Vause is accused of lying to federal investigators about her whereabouts the night of Drexel's death and that she went there voluntarily with Vause and Moody. When Vause disputed the facts, however, she said she did indeed go to Georgetown that night, as she had originally told investigators.

Vause's case will now go to trial on the two charges already brought against her, which could bring her a prison sentence of up to 16 years.

The U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, Winston Holliday, said the charges would be dropped and a kidnapping charge would likely be added. If found guilty, she could face up to 30 years to life in prison.

“It's obviously a more serious charge and it's up to a grand jury whether it happens or not, but that's our intention and it's been in the room for some time,” Holliday said.

When asked if he was surprised by Vause's sudden change of decision, Holliday said he was not completely shocked.

“There were some strange pauses and interruptions, I would say, to deliberate on some things that I initially thought were very straightforward,” Holliday said. “So I think that kind of foreshadowed where things were going to go.”

Roy Willey, an attorney representing Brittanee Drexel's mother, Dawn Conley, said she was overjoyed that Vause withdrew her motion.

“Dawn knew today that it was possible she would plead not guilty. I don't think anyone really knew what she was going to do until she stood up,” Willey said. “Importantly, the facts she disagreed with were what happened after she left Brittanee.”

“We look forward to a trial. Everyone knows exactly what happened and she must be held fully accountable,” Willey added.

Vause had originally reached a guilty plea agreement with prosecutors in July and was scheduled to enter her confession last week, but new information was presented that changed the length of a possible sentence.

That information addressed other guidelines from another federal district regarding those charges, which would increase her maximum sentence to 16 years instead of 10. Vause had previously faced five years for each of her charges, but the new information means she now faces eight years for each count. A judge later decided to continue the case, leading to Tuesday's final hearing.

Around the time of Moody's confession, Vause spoke with the FBI. According to court documents, she told agents that she had left to pick up the keys at the time of the crime, but had driven in a different direction for another reason.

The FBI believes Vause lied about the whereabouts of Drexel's cell phone and whether Drexel went with her and Moody voluntarily. The FBI described the kidnapping as a form of false pretense.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

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