News10NBC speaks exclusively with suspect named in Brittanee Drexel case

News10NBC sat down recently for an interview with the man police say is a suspect in the disappearance of Brittanee Drexel.

The Chili teen was last seen in Myrtle Beach during spring break 2009. Just recently, a federal agent in South Carolina testified that they believe a man named Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor was involved.

Last week, we went to South Carolina and sat down with Taylor, asking him directly what he knows about the case.

When Brittanee Drexel’s cell phone gave off its last signal, it pinged a cell tower near McClellanville, South Carolina — a small town about an hour south of Myrtle Beach. That’s where Timothy De’Shawn Taylor lives.

Taylor was 17-years-old when Brittanee disappeared. Over the summer, an FBI agent testified that a jailhouse informant had told them Drexel was kidnapped, shot to death, and then dumped in an alligator pit. The informant told them he was at a "stash house" in McClellanville a few days after Brittanee’s disappearance and saw her there being sexually assaulted by Taylor and others.

Full transcript

Brett Davidsen: I may as well start with the obvious question. Did you kill Brittanee Drexel?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir. I did not kill Brittanee Drexel.

Brett Davidsen: Were you involved in the kidnapping of Brittanee Drexel?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir I was not.

Brett Davidsen:Were you with Brittanee Drexel the night she was, the night she disappeared in April of 2009?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir. I was not with her.

Brett Davidsen: Had-had you ever met her, or what’d-what did you know about her?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Well, um, I never met her personally, uh or physically. The only thing I known is from what I’ve been seeing on TV and the bulletins and what the FBI has told-been tellin’ me so far. So that’s the only thing that I’ve personally know about her.

Brett Davidsen: And that would have been after the fact?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir that would have been after April of 2009.

Brett Davidsen: She disappeared after leaving the Blue Water Hotel in Myrtle Beach, had you spent much time up in Myrtle Beach? Were you familiar with that hotel?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Um, not familiar with the hotel but I am familiar with the Myrtle Beach area, kind of, you know, not too big of knowing it, but I’m kind of familiar with the area.

Brett Davidsen: And had you been up there during that time period, where you may have crossed paths with her? Where somebody would have, you know-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: — Put the 2 of you together for some reason?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir. I wasn’t up there at that time.

Brett Davidsen: You heard the allegations from this informant, this [Ta’Quan 00:01:26] Brown-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-

Brett Davidsen: He says that you picked her up in Myrtle Beach and brought her down to McClellanville. Ummm, first, I guess respond to that, uh, that statement by him, and, and I guess, as a follow up question what do you know about Ta’Quan Brown?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Well, from he’s saying have the untrue things so far. They’re working towards finding out more, but they have found out so far that the story wasn’t true and from hearing it, it’s like, how could he just sit there and make such thing up? Such up a story like that, just to incriminate me or to make me have to spend another sentence of my freedom because of something that someone’s telling him. That I’m involved in when I really have no involvement in.

Brett Davidsen: What do you know about Ta’Quan Brown? Do you know him?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: You’ve never met him?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Never met him. Never personally met him. I wouldn’t say, I know I don’t know him, but if I did met him I don’t remember him or anything but, physically I don’t know him, personally I don’t know him coming up through my childhood I don’t remember him at all.

Brett Davidsen: He says he saw you in this stash house, sexually assaulting Brittanee Drexel, um, says he heard gun shots, um, you know, recounts this whole detailed story. Um, what do you-what do you have to say about that story?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: I mean, at that time of the story, when the story took place, I was a teenager at that time and I was still in school, so, when I listened to the stories it’s like, it’s not true, because I know it’s not true because at that time, in the dates and time that he gave, that it shows that I was in the school, getting my education. So, it’s nothing too much that I can say about the story. I just think it’s not true, it’s very, very disoriented.

Brett Davidsen: So did you provide uh, authorities that you were in school on the days that he says he saw you in this stash house?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. [inaudible 00:03:28]

Brett Davidsen: So you’ve been able to discount this, this story?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Um … What do you, um, let me ask you also, w-w-while we’re on this topic of this stash house, he mentioned your father, Shawn Taylor, was involved. Are you aware at all of your father having any involvement in this, uh, Brittanee Drexel case?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Had you, had you ever heard anything or heard him talk about Brittanee Drexel, or?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Yeah.

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Nothing.

Brett Davidsen: Um, have you spoken with the FBI? Have they, did they question you after she disappeared?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. I spoke with them, uhhh, I think it was the first time was in 2009, or 2010 and then again after they brought this, uh, conspiracy charge back up against me. That was the first thing that they questioned me about, and basically was the only thing that they questioned me about. Was about the Brittanee Drexel.

Brett Davidsen: Uh, so back in 2009, what was the, what was the, uh, the, the, sort of direction of the questioning? Were they just asking you if you knew anything about it? Were they asking about your father? What were they, what were they sort of focusing on?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Hmmm, they were more focusing on did I know anything about her, did I seen her, have I seen her, was I in the area, where was-where were I at that time, and did I hear anything or know of anyone who had involvement.

Brett Davidsen: And why would they have zeroed in on you? So quickly after her disappearance?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Umm, I wouldn’t say it was so quick-quickly, and they zeroed in on me, but it was after a matter of time that they came and questioned me. I guess, because they said that it was-they were questioning everybody in the area, because her cell phone last pinged off the McClellanville area towers. Cell phone tower. So, I guess they said that a few people told them to question me, to ask me questions. So, I cooperated with them, answered the questions.

Brett Davidsen: So, would you say that you’ve cooperated with them?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes. Very much. All the way. From start ’til now.

Brett Davidsen: So the fact that you’ve cooperated with them, what do you think of the fact that they’re now turning around and implicating you, in this case?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Umm, so much of so raises more of like, it seems to me that they’re just trying to find someone to arrested, or someone to try and arrest to get the case over with, solved and closed. That’s what it seems like to me.

Brett Davidsen: Does it sound to you, as if they’re trying to, they think you’re hiding something? Do they think that you know more than you’re telling them?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. And that’s why they brought the second charge up against me, for a second time.

Brett Davidsen: So, what do you do, if you don’t know anything, and they’re using this charge, these-these charges in federal court, to get you to give them information that you say you don’t have, what happens?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Pretty much I have to just keep telling the same thing, givin’ them the same story of I don’t know anything and hopefully one day they’ll let it go, or either I have to go back and do the time for it.

Brett Davidsen: Have you, uh, taken a lie detector on this?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. Back in 2009.

Brett Davidsen: And, what, do you remember what the questions were?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Mmmm, not currently, what the questions were, not exactly but I remember a few questions that they asked me, did I know her, did I ever meet her or have I been around her. At that time.

Brett Davidsen: Do you recall what the result of that polygraph was?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: At that time they told me that everything was okay and that they would reach back out to me later.

Brett Davidsen: And did they do that?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: They never came back to ya?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir. They never came back, until I think it was July, 12 or July the 13 of 2016. When they arrested me for the conspiracy.

Brett Davidsen: So they arrested you for this conspiracy, regarding this prior-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Charge.

Brett Davidsen: Case that you already been convicted of in state court?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: And, were they asking you about that case?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Not at all.

Brett Davidsen: What were they asking you about?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Brittanee Drexel.

Brett Davidsen: Did you find that strange?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Did you ask them about that? Why are you asking me about that?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. (laughs) Well, at the time, they first, when they first got me and was putting me in handcuffs, they told me that they were arresting me for murder and the kidnapping. And after we got down to the, uh, interrogation room and they started questioning about everything and I was telling ’em, that, you know, I physically don’t know her, I never met her and I don’t know anything, that’s when they told me where I’ll be going to jail for conspiracy to the armed robbery. And that’s when they took me down to the jailhouse.

Brett Davidsen: There is a Facebook page that’s devoted to this Brittanee Drexel case. And, I’m not sure who the administrator is, who posts the comments-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-

Brett Davidsen: But the person who, apparently has information, they say they have information, says, there are witnesses who are not in jail, other than I assume this Ta’Quan Brown, who have told them that they saw you with Britney. What do you think of that?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Um, if it was witnesses then they would have been brought to the attention and they would have highly spoke about it, but, I’m pretty sure there’s no witnesses, I know that there’s no witness because I never seen her and I never been with her.

Brett Davidsen: Facebook page also says that you were seen and followed to the exact area where Britney’s DNA was found. How do you explain that?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Uhhhhmmmm, it’s not true. I don’t remember that or I don’t never saw that or even heard that one. So.

Brett Davidsen: I know that, uh, the father of Brittanee Drexel has hired his own private investigators, so maybe that’s what they’re referring to, that uh, y-you know maybe you were followed by a private investigator, I’m not sure. Uh, but has-d-do you recall ever seeing any private investigators, or anybody question you that wasn’t police?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Yeah.

Timothy De’Shawn Taylor: Not at all.

Brett Davidsen: Yeah. Ummm, do you know anybody who had-has any detailed information about Brittanee Drexel?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.

Brett Davidsen: The reason I ask that is because McClellanville is so small.

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Her phone pinged in McClellanville. And if, as the FBI says, if-if she was in McClellanville, it would be hard to imagine that people there-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Wouldn’t know something.

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Right. And it would be because the community is small. And I’m pretty sure that if someone or if, they-like they were saying, people had been telling ’em these things, why would you keep these people name or they statements away, and then you just bring this one statement from a jailhouse person. And not bring forth their statements, if it’s even true what they’re say they’re saying, you can prove what he said, to y’all but you’re not proving or saying-showing anything that so called that everyone else has had to say.

Brett Davidsen: Why do you think Ta’Quan Brown implicated you?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: To be honest, I’m not sure. I felt like he was just trying to get a reward money or his time cut, for something that he did.

Brett Davidsen: So you think he made it up to get a better deal?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: Yeah. Ummm … Anything that you would want to say to the family of Brittanee Drexel? Clearly, they believe you’re involved regardless of what y-y-you’ve told them or regardless of the lack of, you know, any evidence that’s been made public. They believe you’re involved, anything that you would say to them?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Umm, I would tell them deeply, I apologize for their loss, and I sincerely do apologize for their loss. And I honestly hope that they find who’ve done this and give them justice, but I honestly don’t have anything or have any information to help them. Because I honestly don’t know anything. I’ve never saw her. I never seen her. I never been in the-in close space with her. Never seen her physically. As I’m sittin’ here lookin’ at you now. And I truly, and truly, deeply apologize for their loss. And if there’s any information that I could find out, and as I was being cooperative with the FBI, so far I will continue to be cooperative with them.

Brett Davidsen: People are going to hear that you said you apologize, (laughs) I think they’re going to misinterpret, maybe they’ll misinterpret the-the world apologize.

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, what I mean by that is, I’m being sincere for their loss. I apologize for them losing, you know, it’s not my fault, it not anyone fault that they have a loss. All that I can say, is you know, I send my condolence to them. To the family for their losses.

Brett Davidsen: When you see them on TV, and the hurt and the pain that they’ve felt, have-have you seen any of the interviews that they’ve done?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: I actually … Yeah, I saw the one on Dr. Phil on Friday when I watched it, but actually since it came, the TV and everything came on, I haven’t been watching TV. I just don’t watch it. I’d rather not see it.

Brett Davidsen: Had you ever seen them on TV in the past?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir, this is my first time seeing them on TV. Television.

Brett Davidsen: Had you seen any of the, uh, the billboards, or the flyers? That kind of stuff?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir. I have seen billboards and flyers. They have a billboard out in the McClellanville area.

Brett Davidsen: When you look up at that, and you know there are people that think that you did it-

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-

Brett Davidsen:What do you think?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: That I really, uh, hope that they hurry up and find the person who really did, uh, the person who was really involved.

Brett Davidsen: Umm, Chad Drexel told this story. He’s told it a few times, that he says he met you. That he says he recalls handing you a flyer in a car, with some other individuals, and that you wadded it up and threw it out of the car as you drove away.

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: I don’t ever remember meeting Mr. Drexel, or receiving a flyer from him.

Brett Davidsen: So when you heard that story, for the first time? I guess that would have been the first time you heard it on Dr. Phil?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: (laughs) Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: What (laughs) what were you saying to yourself when you heard that?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Like, wow, how could he say such of a thing? Just because of what a jailhouse said, and how someone feels about me that he would actually really believe that. When he personally don’t even know me or know anything about me.

Brett Davidsen: It seems like you’ve been kind of painted in a corner now?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Yes, sir.

Brett Davidsen: What are you gonna do?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: Pretty much, I just stay to myself, pray and hope that when it’s all over and done everybody gonna apologize and they’ll realize that I really didn’t have anything to do with her. Even know anything about it.

Brett Davidsen: Do you have any thoughts about what you think might have happened to her?

Timothy Da’Shaun Taylor: No, sir.