January 30, 2025 • 40 mins
In 2001, Branson was a 20-year-old who mysteriously vanished, without a trace one fateful day, and it wasn’t until a week later that anyone realized something was horribly wrong. His last known actions leave many questions. Involved in the town's underworld of drugs, Branson was known to frequent a local drug house—but when that house burned down in a mysterious fire, he was nowhere to be found. Join us as we explore the chilling mystery of Branson Perry’s disappearance and the haunting questions that still remain unanswered.
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Episode Transcript
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D (00:01):
Hey guys, welcome to the Eerie Side Podcast with your
host D, Sophia and Elena.
We appreciate you guyslistening, and I hope you are
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(00:49):
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So I'm doing a story this week.
And I have presented a story ofSkidmore, Missouri before with
(01:33):
Ken McElroy.
I don't know if you guysremember Ken?
Sophia (01:36):
I do.
Okay.
D (01:38):
If you guys do not remember who Ken McElroy is, please go
back to that episode and listento it.
I'm doing another one on thislittle town.
In 2001, Skidmore, Missouri hasthe population that is only 245.
And how can such a small townhave so many strange incidents?
(02:02):
My story is about Branson Perry.
Branson Kayne Perry was born toBob and Rebecca Perry on
February 24th, 1981 and raisedin Skidmore.
He graduated from Nodaway HaltHigh School in 1999.
After graduating, he worked atthe several odd jobs.
(02:27):
He worked as a roofer for sometime, but lost his job and
decided to help with a travelingpetting zoo, while he looked for
another occupation.
In 2001, he was 20 years old andlived at 304 West Oak Street in
Skidmore with his father,because his parents were
recently divorced and his motherwas not there.
(02:49):
Although Branson suffered fromtachycardia which made his heart
race, he was quite active and ingood health.
He had a black belt in Hapkidoand enjoyed lifting weights.
On April 7th, 2001, Bransonvisited his neighbor, Jason
Biermann, a man in his thirtieswho drugged him by giving him an
(03:11):
unidentified drug.
Sophia (03:12):
Whoa.
D (03:13):
From what he could remember, while intoxicated, Branson
danced around Biermann's housenude, shaved all his pubic hair
and then participated in sexualactivity with Biermann.
Sober and humiliated to the nextday, Branson explained the
situation to his father, who wasfurious! Bob said he knew his
(03:37):
son was homosexual and that hehad sex with men in the past.
Bob Perry was reportedly enragedat Biermann for drugging, then
using his son and evenconsidered teaching him a
lesson.
However, no confrontation evertook place.
Bob never knew his neighbor wasgay and was livid that the older
(03:59):
man had taken advantage of hisson while the younger man was
inebriated.
Sophia (04:03):
There is a lot happening in Skidmore, Missouri.
D (04:07):
Branson felt upset that Biermann had abused him while he
was in a compromised state.
On April 11, 2001, okay, Bransoninvited his friend Jena Crawford
to come over and help him cleanthe house.
The reason for this is hisfather, Bob Perry, was in the
hospital and was due to comehome soon.
(04:30):
Meanwhile, two mechanics wereoutside replacing Bob Perry's
alternator, which had given outthe day before.
Out of nowhere, Branson suddenlygrabbed something from a cabinet
and then went outside.
Upon returning, he didn't tellJena what he had grabbed or why
he left.
Jena took a shower after theyfinished cleaning and then saw
(04:53):
one of the mechanics riflingthrough a kitchen cabinet.
When she asked what he waslooking for, he told her that it
was nothing and went backoutside.
Resting upstairs, Jena lookedoutside the window at about 3:00
p.m.
She saw Branson leaving thehouse and called out to him
asking,"Branson, what are youdoing?" Branson replied,"I am
(05:18):
going to put away the jumpercables, then run off for a bit.
I'll be back in a few minutes."So Branson walks outside his
home to return the jumper cablesto the shed adjacent to his
house, and then Since Branson'sfather was still hospitalized
for a few days, his grandmotherJo-Ann Stinnett dropped by on
(05:42):
April 12th to see Bob Perry inthe hospital.
She asked Bob if Branson hadcome to visit the night before
and he said that he hadn't.
Though it was somewhat alarmingsince Branson had visited him
every night he was in thehospital, she initially shrugged
off her worry.
(06:02):
But then she dropped by Perry'shome where she found the doors
unlocked and opened, housedeserted and the radio on and
Branson gone.
No public account explains whyJena or the two men may have
left the house in that statewhen they departed on Wednesday,
(06:23):
or if it was in that state whenthey left.
Sophia (06:27):
The door was open and the light was on.
D (06:29):
The doors were unlocked and open.
The house was deserted and theradio was on.
But Branson was not present.
Sophia (06:37):
And where is Jena at this point?
D (06:38):
Not at the house.
She's gone.
It's a few days now.
There's nowhere mentioned in anydocumentation, at least to the
public, if the house was leftthat way, or if something
happened afterwards.
Sophia (06:50):
So maybe perhaps she left when Branson did not come
back from the shed.
D (06:54):
There's more to this story.
Because it was Jena and the twomechanics.
There's no mention to thepublic, at least, how the house
was left.
Or why they would even leave ifhe didn't come back.
Sophia (07:09):
This is definitely a really strange scenario.
And it's a strange scene for thegrandmother.
And what I'm assuming eventuallythe police to have to put back
together and even hearing it formyself, trying to put the pieces
of, you know, Branson andknowing that Jena was there and
that there was a crew working onthe car there.
(07:31):
This whole thing is definitely adisorganized picture to have to
put back together and try andfigure out what's going on.
D (07:38):
I don't think Branson's grandmother knew all this.
She just didn't know what wasgoing on.
So this is what happens.
Branson's grandmother is worriedand starts asking around town,
but no one has seen him.
She found this unusual andcalled the residents
periodically over the nextseveral days, but got no answer.
Upon calling Branson's mother,Rebecca Klino, she found that
(08:02):
she had not spoken to himeither.
Now, it's not clear whichspecific date, on April 13th or
14th of 2001.
And this is a side note, andthat's the probable date.
A house in Quitman, which isclose, frequently used to buy
drugs burns down, that Bransonwas supposedly involved with.
(08:26):
Okay.
Sophia (08:27):
A meaning that Branson bought drugs from them?
D (08:30):
He was involved with it.
Sophia (08:32):
That's how they say it?
D (08:33):
Yes.
Sophia (08:33):
Okay.
D (08:34):
Now Bob was discharged from the hospital several days later
than planned and after hisrelease he and Klino filed a
missing report on April 17th.
There are also some reports thatit was on April 16th.
So I'm not sure which dateexactly, the 17th or the 16th,
but one of those two days theyreported a missing person.
(08:58):
Not only was it uncharacteristicof him to be out of touch for so
long, but all of his personalbelongings were left behind.
Foul play was immediatelysuspected.
Sophia (09:11):
I'm glad the police did not waste any time and came to
the conclusion that they shouldinvestigate it.
D (09:17):
Well, it's quite a few days, too, at this point.
Sophia (09:20):
True.
That's true, unfortunately.
D (09:24):
Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Epsey began searching for
Branson by combing a 15 mile,which is a 24 kilometer, radius
perimeter from the Perry'sresidence.
Numerous fields, farms, andabandoned buildings were
searched, but the efforts provedfruitless.
(09:45):
During a search of the property,police were unable to locate the
jumper cables Branson hadpurportedly left to return in
the shed.
Two weeks later, however, theywere found just inside the door.
Over the following month and ahalf, over 100 people were
interviewed in Branson'sdisappearance.
(10:07):
Jena, who had been at Branson'shome the day of the
disappearance, admitted to lawenforcement that he had recently
been experimenting withmarijuana and amphetamines.
A family member also informedpolice that Branson had a bottle
of Valium in his possession theday he disappeared.
Law enforcement questioned drugacquaintances of Branson's in
(10:30):
St.
Joseph, but all stated that theyhad not seen him, and each past
polygraph examinations.
Further investigations into thelocal drug trade was undertaken,
but no discernible leads wereuncovered despite rumors that
Branson owned drug dealersmoney.
(10:51):
Bob initially suspected that hisson had left to stay with
friends in Kansas City.
Because Branson did not have aworking car at the time, Bob
presumed he may have hitchhiked.
No one seemed to know whathappened to him.
Sophia (11:05):
That's curious.
I'm wondering why Bob thoughtthat when all these lights were
on, and the doors were unlocked,and the radio was on.
Elena (11:13):
Also, isn't the police saying that it's suspicious?
D (11:17):
The police is saying it's suspicious.
However, I do not know why hisfather felt that way.
I don't know if he had done thisbefore, or just maybe he was
hopeful that's what he was doingand why he wasn't, anywhere near
there.
Unless his father knew he had adrug situation, maybe he wanted
to get away.
Elena (11:36):
Oh, okay.
Interesting.
D (11:39):
As far as we know regarding Biermann with Branson's
disappearance, Biermann hasnever been officially named as a
prime suspect in the case, andit's unclear how or if he
responded to Branson Perry'sdisappearance.
Branson's disappearance receivednational media coverage and was
(12:00):
profiled extensively byjournalist and crime writer
Diane Fanning in a bookconcerning Branson's relative,
Bobbie Jo Stinnett, who waseight months pregnant, murdered,
and had her unborn child stolen2004.
Yes, this also happened inSkidmore, Missouri.
Sophia (12:19):
Oh my gosh.
So this is Branson's relative?
D (12:22):
It is.
I think his cousin actually.
Elena (12:24):
Wait, so you said they had their unborn child?
D (12:27):
Yes, it's another story.
Her name is Bobbie Jo Stinnett,and she was eight months
pregnant, and there's a wholestory behind it, but she was
murdered and they took herunborn child.
Elena (12:38):
Oh my God.
Sophia (12:39):
Did they ever find the baby?
D (12:41):
Yes.
Elena (12:43):
And so this was his cousin you said?
D (12:45):
Yes, I think it was his cousin.
Elena (12:46):
Wow.
D (12:48):
Yeah, the family seems to have had some difficulties.
And this happened in 2004, hewas in 2001.
Sophia (12:55):
So tragic
D (12:57):
Branson's, aunt Gail McMurray told the press that her nephew
loved nature and it was acompassionate young man.
She claims Branson had come toher and confined that he had
wanted to get off drugs.
She said that he had originallykept that from her.
And this is what she said,"Iknew about him going camping and
(13:19):
all the fun stuff and about hispersonal life, but I did not
know anything about the druglife." Branson vanished only
days before he was set to go toa rehab facility.
Branson's aunt promised to nevergive up searching for Branson.
She believes that people are tooscared to talk.
(13:41):
But then on April 10, 2003, apromising suspect appeared in a
rather gruesome way.
It all started when a former 59year old Presbyterian minister
and Boy Scout leader named JackWayne Rogers was arrested in
Fulton, Missouri that hadnothing to do with Branson.
(14:03):
After attempting to perform sexreassignment surgery on a trans
woman and failing to stop thebleeding in a makeshift gender
reassignment surgery at a hotelin Columbia, Jack Wayne Roger
was charged with first degreeassault and practicing medicine
without a license.
(14:24):
But when authorities searchedhis belongings, they discovered
evidence of even more disturbingcrimes on his computer.
Elena (14:34):
Who was the person they found the disturbing crime on?
Sophia (14:37):
Jack Wayne Rogers.
D (14:38):
Jack Wayne Rogers.
Elena (14:39):
Okay.
And who was he to Branson?
D (14:42):
Nothing, okay.
they caught this guy because hewas doing surgery on a trans
woman.
Sophia (14:46):
Does Jack have any prior medical experience?
That's crazy.
Elena (14:52):
Has he ever done a surgery like this before, or
just out of the blue said, Icould do it?
D (14:57):
No medical experience or training.
Now, not only did they findchild pornography, they also
came across highly distressingonline posts under usernames
such as Burgerbutt.
Sophia (15:14):
Ew.
Elena (15:14):
What?
D (15:16):
Yes, and some other weird ones.
That was just I didn't put here.
Elena (15:20):
That was his username.
D (15:21):
Yeah.
He had like quite a fewusernames.
One was this one.
Ew.
These posts describe the rape,torture, and murder of several
men.
In some cases, Rogers had eventalked about cannibalizing
several genitals.
Elena (15:38):
Wait, so what was he doing to several genitals?
Cannibalizing.
Uhhuh.
Wow.
Sophia (15:42):
He talked about it according to mom, right?
D (15:45):
Yes.
That's what they say.
Elena (15:47):
That's disgusting.
Sophia (15:48):
This man is vile.
D (15:49):
Perhaps most shocking was the post about murdering a blonde
male, hitchhiking, that fitBranson's description and
burying him in the Ozarks.
When questioned about this, JackWayne Rogers claimed the post
was a work of fiction and deniedever meeting Branson.
(16:11):
But then the police found aturtle claw necklace in Roger's
car, which bore an uncannyresemblance to the one of
Branson's necklaces.
However, none of this sufficedwas hard evidence.
In 2004, Jack Wayne Rogers wasonly convicted of assault,
illegal surgery, childpornography, and obscenity.
(16:35):
He received a 17 year sentencefor assault, 7 years for illegal
surgery, and 30 years for childpornography and obscenity, which
would run concurrent with theformer two charges total of 54
years.
At his sentencing, Branson'smother begged for Rogers to
(16:56):
reveal his whereabouts, butRogers denied being involved in
the disappearance.
His earliest release date isOctober 30, 2028, and he will be
83 years old.
It was never confirmed that hehad anything to do with
Branson's disappearance.
(17:16):
The police are not completelyruling it out, but now the
investigation has turned towardsSkidmore again.
They have received new leadsthere.
Branson's mother,"I suppose timewas a way of unraveling secrets.
I believe someone in the areaknows what happens to Branson.
(17:37):
In my heart, I believe thissuspect is responsible.
Despite the nightmare I havelived through, and his
sentencing, I am thankful thatsomeone with that much evil will
never walk this street,"Branson's mother waited for
answers regarding her son, butshe was eventually convinced
that Rogers was innocent ofabducting him.
(17:58):
In my heart, I don't believethis suspect is responsible, she
said.
Becky Klino recounted on herwebsite, the circumstances of
her son's disappearance remainrather unclear.
Tragically, the Perry family hasdwindled in the last two
decades.
Branson's father died in 2004.
(18:20):
In June 2009, A Holt Countyprisoner tips off authorities
that he knows where Branson isburied.
Law enforcement revealed theywere completing an excavation on
a site in Quitman, Missouriafter receiving an incredible
tip that Branson's remains mayhave been located there.
(18:43):
Over a period of two days,excavators dug a 23 foot, 7.
0 meters, deep hole.
They covered an area of around20 feet, 6.
1 meters, by 40 feet, 12 meters.
At that time, another localfarmer who resided 1.5 miles
away, 2.
(19:04):
4 kilometers, east of Quitmanstated that law enforcement has
searched his property severalyears prior searching for an
abandoned well, but the searchyielded no results After two
days of excavation the prisonerlater recants in which nothing
is found.
In 2010, Klino offered a$20,000reward for information leading
(19:30):
to her son's whereabouts.
In February of 2011, Klino diedafter years long battle with
melanoma.
Jo-Ann Stinnett, Branson'sgrandmother, said at the time of
Klino's death,"Around town wesearched every oil well.
Every outside toilet.
(19:51):
We searched everywhere that waspossible for us to think that
something could be there."Monica Caison, the founder of
CUE Center for Missing Personsand a friend of Klino, stated
that she and close friends havepromised her that they will
continue to look for her son.
(20:14):
In her obituary, it was notedthat Klino was preceded in death
by Branson, and she was buriedbeside an empty plot for Branson
that lists his date of death asApril 11th, 2001, that same day
he disappeared.
In 2015, Branson's grandmotherJo-Ann Stinnett dies.
(20:36):
But in April of 2019, NodawayCounty Sheriff Randy Strong
tells the St.
Joseph News Press that Bransonwas last seen at a house that
burned down and authoritieswon't give up solving the case
as justice and closure for therest of the Branson's family are
(20:56):
essential.
And this is what he said,"You goback through and you review the
reports and see if we've missedanything.
The individuals involvedcontinue to be a threat to the
community.
Second, it's the right thing todo.
If it was a family member ofmine or yours, you'd want us to
work on it much as we could.
(21:18):
I think he was with a group ofindividuals that he knew when he
was murdered.
And it's pretty simple as that.
The stinking point on this, Ibelieve, is that we're dealing
with drug culture.
They're not willing to give muchinformation and we don't know
where the body is." Strong andhis colleagues would meet with
(21:41):
prosecutor's office the secondthey obtained enough evidence on
a suspect.
Missouri State Highway PatrolSergeant Roger Phillips says,
"Just because she is not here,doesn't mean this train is not
going to keep moving.
It's about getting to thetruth." On August 14, 2022,
(22:02):
Nodaway County Sheriff RandyStrong announced a suspect had
been identified, but moreevidence was needed.
And they only need a Branson'sbody to make the arrest.
In 2024, Nodaway CountySheriff's Office, Missouri State
Highway Patrol, FBI, and otheragents searched a well in
(22:23):
Quitman after receiving acredible tip connected to the
Branson case.
No new evidence was found.
The case's first leadinvestigator was Stephen
Whittington who worked on theNodawa County Sheriff's Office
as a sergeant and investigatorfrom 1997 to 2010.
(22:45):
He told the Forum, 23 yearslater, that we just went talking
to people and just lookingaround.
Put out alerts and what haveyou, put out a missing person
thing on him.
And we never got any response atall back from that, Whittington
said.
Foul play wasn't necessarilysuspected at first.
(23:05):
Branson wouldn't have been thefirst 20 year old to hitchhike
away from a rural home withoutwarning.
"We kept watching the bankaccount.
He had money in the bank accountand he never touched it, so it
wasn't like he took off.
But it was quick and clear thatwherever Branson had gone,
(23:26):
something had happened."Whittington said.
According to Klino's account onher website, all of Branson's
belongings were still at homewhen the investigators arrived,
including his wallet.
That is, except for the jumpercables, which police, Klino
said, did not find in the nearbystorage shed where Branson said
(23:50):
he was going to bring them.
weeks later, however, the cableswere found, just inside the door
of the shed.
Though it's unclear from Klino'saccount who found them.
By that point, that case hadalready reached an impasse and
Whittington was sure of onething.
Some foul play was definitelyevolved, especially when
(24:12):
everything just went.
It was cold, you know, andnobody was talking, he told the
Forum.
That included the two men whowere working on Bob vehicle at
the time Branson was last seen.
According to Whittington, one ofthem was mechanic Bill Dragoo.
Dragoo died in 2021.
(24:34):
"I always felt that Bill knewsomething about it.
But he never would talk oranything." Whittington said, and
this is the first time theymentioned one of the mechanics
During the first year afterBranson disappeared, Whittington
said he recalled digging up aseptic tank in Holt County, an
area north of Skidmore, a spotin Quitman, and that he searched
(24:58):
as many wells as they couldfind, following up on leads and
even the weakest rumors, just incase they could find something
that would put them on the trailto Branson.
As time went on, with more than100 interviews conducted in the
two months or so after Bransonhad been reported missing, law
enforcement agencies became moreand more focused on his
(25:21):
connections to the drug scenearound Skidmore and Quitman, a
small unincorporate area, aboutsix miles to the south of
Skidmore.
In particular, they focus onstatements from witnesses who
reportedly said that the lasttime Branson was seen wasn't at
his home is Skidmore, but laterat the house just east of
(25:43):
Quitman.
And that's the house that burneddown.
Elena (25:47):
Okay, that's interesting.
Was that, the drug house too?
Correct.
Yeah.
Interesting.
D (25:51):
"I'm sure this is all tied to drugs," Whittington said.
After more than two decades,more serious theories about what
happened to Branson Perryinvolve people he knew through
drugs.
"I can tell you that there was alot of people that were involved
in the drug community involvedin selling, and there were a
(26:13):
whole bunch of them that wereall familiar with each other,"
said Darren White, a NowadayCounty Sheriff Deputy in 2001
and later Sheriff from 2009 to2017.
In rumors and anonymous tipsover the years, a certain house
situated on a gravel road abouta mile east of Quitman that was
(26:35):
a popular place to buy drugskept coming up.
In fact, White said thatwitnesses at the time gave
statements to investigator thatplaced Branson at the house
after he had left his home inSkidmore, though White said he
was not involved in theinvestigation itself at the time
those statements were received.
(26:58):
Instead, he told the Forum in aninterview that he was a deputy
on duty when the house burneddown.
Although he cautioned that hewasn't sure of the exact
sequence of events and neitherwas Whittington, White said that
he was sure that when the houseburned down, Branson had not yet
been reported missing.
(27:19):
To the best of his recollection,he said that the fire took place
sometime during the five daysbetween the last time Crawford
saw Branson at his home onWednesday and when Branson's
family reported him missing onMonday, probably Friday or
Saturday night, he said.
There was a lot of activity theywent out there," White said, but
(27:41):
by the time of the fire"they hadall abandoned the place and this
was in retrospect after Bransonwent missing but before he was
reported." On that Friday orSaturday night, White said he
responded to the fire at thehouse.
"By the time that we got thecall and got there, there was
absolutely nothing left, hesaid.
(28:03):
It had burned to the ground."
Elena (28:05):
Was there any sign of a body in there?
I mean, I'm sure if there was,they would have seen it.
So I'm guessing not.
D (28:12):
I don't think there was a sign of any body in there, but I
think it had burned so much.
Sophia (28:18):
And when did this house burn down in relation to when
Branson went missing?
D (28:21):
He went missing on April 11th is the last time they saw him,
and either April 13 or 14 thehouse burns down.
Sophia (28:30):
Wow! That could potentially say something.
Elena (28:32):
I guess he could have been alive that whole time and
then someone had taken them orsomething and then burned the
house down.
Sophia (28:39):
But they didn't find a body.
Elena (28:40):
Oh yeah, that is If they didn't find a body, unless they
went back and took it?
I don't know.
Sophia (28:47):
Then maybe they were just destroying evidence.
Elena (28:48):
Yeah, maybe he was killed in there, but they moved his
body and just destroying theevidence.
D (28:53):
I don't know, but I could tell you what White said.
Okay.
White said that it's most likelythe answer to what happened to
Branson with the house burning.
And he said,"The best theory isthat he was murdered in the
house.
That ultimately, of course, whenthe house was destroyed by fire,
and possibly evidence that mighthave been there would have been
(29:15):
destroyed in the fire," Whitesaid.
The house was featuredprominently in rumors over the
years as well.
And in April of 2019, NodawayCounty Sheriff Randy Strong told
the St.
Joseph News Press that Bransonwas last seen on April 11, 2001
at a residence that burned downonly days later.
(29:39):
Strong also confirmed to theForum that he was referring to a
house in Quitman based onevidence gathered before he had
become sheriff.
He said he did not want to sharemore for fear of putting someone
in danger due to specificity ofthe information.
Sophia (29:57):
It's definitely strange that this house burned down, but
what's also strange is that thepeople who were at the house,
the last time he was at his ownhouse, Jena and the workers
working on the car, don't reallysay much about how they left the
house and how they left Branson,which is also weird and
confusing.
D (30:18):
Correct.
It just sounds very strange.
Now, unless something happenedand they were afraid for their
lives, because they weren'ttalking.
Or they were also involved indrugs.
Elena (30:30):
Yeah, I was kind of confused how they don't remember
what the house looked like whenthey left.
They could say, like, if itlooked I don't know, neat,
dirty, whatever, like they canat least say something, which
makes me think maybe they'reafraid or they're hiding
something, something like that.
D (30:46):
It is possible that either they all had drugs and then
heard what happened to him andthey didn't want to get
involved.
Even if they're friends, it is asmall town, they all know each
other.
And if It involved drugs, andthey killed him then they're
afraid to talk.
Sophia (31:03):
But why would they kill Branson?
D (31:06):
Maybe he owed them money, he couldn't pay them.
Or something happened.
Elena (31:09):
Or maybe, like, he had an accidental OD.
Not saying that the friends werethe ones that were there, but
I'm just saying that whoever wasthere with Branson, they
could've tried something new,and maybe it was laced or
whatever, and he OD'd, and theywere afraid that they were gonna
get charged.
Sophia (31:27):
So they left him, they took him from his house, and
then brought him to the drughouse?
Elena (31:31):
He might not have been in the house.
Sophia (31:33):
He was, remember?
Because all the lights were on.
D (31:34):
He left.
According to Jena, he left.
Elena (31:37):
That's what I'm saying, he could have gone to the drug
house and that's where ithappened.
Sophia (31:41):
But that, to me, that still doesn't answer the
question as to why the house wasin the condition it was when his
grandma visited.
Elena (31:47):
True, unless they're going to find something that
maybe could trace it back tothem.
I don't know.
D (31:53):
I have no idea.
It looks like someone may hadgone in for some reason.
I don't understand, if Jena wasthe last one out, why didn't she
turn off the radio?
She never said the radio was onever.
Sophia (32:05):
It's just strange.
I don't think he wenthitchhiking.
He was visiting his father everysingle day in the hospital, and
I don't think he would justabruptly stop and not say
anything to his dad.
Elena (32:15):
Agreed.
D (32:16):
I really do think something happened in Quitman.
Right.
Now, maybe he did OD, or maybehe went to get drugs, and they
got into some fight, and theykilled him accidentally, or on
purpose.
I have no idea.
Yeah.
It could be they got afraid,left the house.
Notice no one was coming lookingfor him.
And burned it later.
Elena (32:37):
Also, like whenever there's drugs involved, there's
almost always guns involved too.
He could have gone to get likesome drugs and witnessed
something that he wasn't meantto see, and they had to silence
him basically.
D (32:51):
It could be anything.
That's for sure.
But something did happen in thathome, I think.
Because that home did burn downa few days later.
Elena (32:59):
Yeah.
Did the fire department ever saylike if it was an accidental
burning or intentional?
I think they think it was anintentional one.
Okay, that's what I thought.
D (33:09):
Even if the investigators believe that Branson was last
seen at the house, that doesn'tsolve the crime.
White cautioned.
In the more than two decadesthat the case has been opened,
law enforcement officials havefollowed hundreds of leads that
have all so far failed to leadto finding Branson.
Without that, there has neverbeen enough to warrant an
(33:32):
arrest.
White said,"There was just a lotof little pieces of information,
but not enough to put everythingtogether.".Branson's
disappearance has receivedcoverage in a July 17, 2010
episode of the Fox televisionprogram America's Most Wanted
(33:52):
and in the Sundance Channelseries No One Saw a Thing in
2019.
The Nowaday County Sheriff asksanyone with information about
the Branson Perry case tocontact them at(660) 582-7451.
Elena (34:12):
It's definitely a very interesting and perplexing case,
I would say.
Sophia (34:18):
If it's such a small town, I know people can't make
accusations, but I'm surethey're thinking, oh, it's
probably so and so, or I heardso and so was involved.
D (34:29):
I also think that the sheriff has a good idea who it may be,
but like he said, if he needs abody, he's never going to find
one.
Unless they killed him and movedhim, but if they burned him,
they're never going to find abody.
Sophia (34:44):
You can find bodies if they've been burned.
D (34:47):
But they didn't find anything.
No one ever said, the houseburned down, and they went in
there and found anything.
I'm not even sure if the firedepartment was ever called.
Sophia (34:56):
So you think maybe the fire department never even
examined the house?
D (34:59):
Correct.
Sophia (35:00):
Whoa, that's interesting.
Elena (35:02):
But still, like, eventually someone had to walk
through it and they would haveseen the body.
I mean, it wasn't hot enough tocremate it.
House fires can't get hotenough.
Sophia (35:10):
Exactly, I think the temperatures need to be
insurmountable compared to ahouse fire.
D (35:16):
So maybe they just destroyed some evidence that was there and
then maybe he is buried.
Cause the police still thinksthey're gonna find a body.
Because they said that's theonly evidence.
So maybe they know somethingthat we don't.
It's possible.
They're not saying everything,you know, they never do.
Sophia (35:33):
I could definitely see this one being solved in the
future.
D (35:37):
If someone talks.
Right?
Because there's no DNA, there'sno evidence at that home.
Elena (35:43):
Unless a body gets discovered at some point by
accident, you never know
D (35:48):
That's true.
So in the other thing is thepolice seems to be, digging up
places and looking at wells, somaybe there's something going on
there.
Maybe they're aware ofsomething.
Anyways, it's just so strangefor me to have so many things
happening at Skidmore, Missouri.
Elena (36:07):
Yeah, for such a small town, it's very interesting.
D (36:11):
I agree.
But you know, small or big, it'sinteresting how drugs got there
too.
Sophia (36:18):
Yeah, I wouldn't think 245 people was enough for there
to be a drug house.
Now I'm assuming they probablysold drugs to the nearby cities
as well, though.
D (36:25):
Well, the drug house wasn't at Skidmore, it was Quitman,
which is also small.
Sophia (36:29):
Oh, okay.
D (36:30):
But you do have young people.
Sophia (36:32):
And also people you would not even expect are doing
drugs too.
D (36:36):
True.
Elena (36:37):
Plus, didn't they have like lesser, like not as
hardcore drugs?
You mentioned like marijuana.
D (36:43):
Well, that's the only thing they've mentioned to us in the
articles.
I really don't know what he wasdoing, but he was going to go to
rehab, which is not formarijuana.
Elena (36:54):
I know you mentioned that Branson had smoked weed, so I'm
assuming that these people arealso dealing weed as well.
And there's probably a hugemarket, even in that small town,
for at least that drug.
And it probably doesn't helpthat it's like a boring, old,
small town.
D (37:11):
I would say there's a market for the drugs, too, in that
small town.
I don't think it's justmarijuana.
It also could be that his familydon't want to admit it or talk
about it.
It's okay to talk aboutmarijuana, but not the other
stuff.
Now, in some states, marijuanais also legal, so maybe they
don't feel like a big deal totalk about it.
I think there's more there tothe drugs than, maybe even his
(37:35):
family knows or the police wantto say.
Mm hmm.
Sophia (37:38):
I definitely think and I hope that the police have more
information that they're justnot sharing so that they can
eventually use that to solvethis case one day.
Branson's parents, they're bothdead now?
D (37:49):
Correct.
Sophia (37:50):
Okay, I'm looking at photos of Branson.
He just seems like a reallysweet, nice person.
He seems like somebody who, ifyou were bored and you were
sitting in class next to, you'dhave a good conversation with.
Elena (38:01):
He does seem really sweet.
His mom looked sweet too.
D (38:05):
He definitely had his problems, because he was with
the drugs.
But you know, he would go seehis dad.
He was taking care of the house.
He was cleaning it, so he didcare that his dad came back to a
clean house.
So it wasn't like he didn'tcare.
I just think that somehow he gotin over his head more than he
thought he was.
Sophia (38:25):
And he seemed like a really great son.
Like he seemed like he was openwith his parents, and he was
visiting his dad every singleday in the hospital.
He was taking care of the house,and he was 20 years old.
I mean, there's a lot of kids atthat age who wouldn't be able to
and wouldn't even want to dothat.
So he just seems like a reallymature, responsible, great young
(38:46):
man.
So, it's really sad that hislife was most likely, in my
opinion, taken way too soon.
D (38:53):
Unfortunately, when you get involved with drugs, a lot of
things happen.
Sophia (38:57):
Yeah, sometimes, I think in ways unexpected.
I think sometimes people thinkit's just going be about the
drugs, and unfortunately, therecan be really bad characters
involved with that scene.
D (39:09):
I want to thank you for listening to us this week.
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Your help and engagement reallyhelps the podcast grow.
If you enjoyed this episode,please text a friend and family
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Until next time, make sure youstay on the Eerie Side.
(39:32):
Bye.
Bye.
Bye guys.
Be safe.
Hey guys, welcome to the Eerie Side Podcast with your
host D, Sophia and Elena.
We appreciate you guyslistening, and I hope you are
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(00:49):
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So I'm doing a story this week.
And I have presented a story ofSkidmore, Missouri before with
(01:33):
Ken McElroy.
I don't know if you guysremember Ken?
Sophia (01:36):
I do.
Okay.
D (01:38):
If you guys do not remember who Ken McElroy is, please go
back to that episode and listento it.
I'm doing another one on thislittle town.
In 2001, Skidmore, Missouri hasthe population that is only 245.
And how can such a small townhave so many strange incidents?
(02:02):
My story is about Branson Perry.
Branson Kayne Perry was born toBob and Rebecca Perry on
February 24th, 1981 and raisedin Skidmore.
He graduated from Nodaway HaltHigh School in 1999.
After graduating, he worked atthe several odd jobs.
(02:27):
He worked as a roofer for sometime, but lost his job and
decided to help with a travelingpetting zoo, while he looked for
another occupation.
In 2001, he was 20 years old andlived at 304 West Oak Street in
Skidmore with his father,because his parents were
recently divorced and his motherwas not there.
(02:49):
Although Branson suffered fromtachycardia which made his heart
race, he was quite active and ingood health.
He had a black belt in Hapkidoand enjoyed lifting weights.
On April 7th, 2001, Bransonvisited his neighbor, Jason
Biermann, a man in his thirtieswho drugged him by giving him an
(03:11):
unidentified drug.
Sophia (03:12):
Whoa.
D (03:13):
From what he could remember, while intoxicated, Branson
danced around Biermann's housenude, shaved all his pubic hair
and then participated in sexualactivity with Biermann.
Sober and humiliated to the nextday, Branson explained the
situation to his father, who wasfurious! Bob said he knew his
(03:37):
son was homosexual and that hehad sex with men in the past.
Bob Perry was reportedly enragedat Biermann for drugging, then
using his son and evenconsidered teaching him a
lesson.
However, no confrontation evertook place.
Bob never knew his neighbor wasgay and was livid that the older
(03:59):
man had taken advantage of hisson while the younger man was
inebriated.
Sophia (04:03):
There is a lot happening in Skidmore, Missouri.
D (04:07):
Branson felt upset that Biermann had abused him while he
was in a compromised state.
On April 11, 2001, okay, Bransoninvited his friend Jena Crawford
to come over and help him cleanthe house.
The reason for this is hisfather, Bob Perry, was in the
hospital and was due to comehome soon.
(04:30):
Meanwhile, two mechanics wereoutside replacing Bob Perry's
alternator, which had given outthe day before.
Out of nowhere, Branson suddenlygrabbed something from a cabinet
and then went outside.
Upon returning, he didn't tellJena what he had grabbed or why
he left.
Jena took a shower after theyfinished cleaning and then saw
(04:53):
one of the mechanics riflingthrough a kitchen cabinet.
When she asked what he waslooking for, he told her that it
was nothing and went backoutside.
Resting upstairs, Jena lookedoutside the window at about 3:00
p.m.
She saw Branson leaving thehouse and called out to him
asking,"Branson, what are youdoing?" Branson replied,"I am
(05:18):
going to put away the jumpercables, then run off for a bit.
I'll be back in a few minutes."So Branson walks outside his
home to return the jumper cablesto the shed adjacent to his
house, and then Since Branson'sfather was still hospitalized
for a few days, his grandmotherJo-Ann Stinnett dropped by on
(05:42):
April 12th to see Bob Perry inthe hospital.
She asked Bob if Branson hadcome to visit the night before
and he said that he hadn't.
Though it was somewhat alarmingsince Branson had visited him
every night he was in thehospital, she initially shrugged
off her worry.
(06:02):
But then she dropped by Perry'shome where she found the doors
unlocked and opened, housedeserted and the radio on and
Branson gone.
No public account explains whyJena or the two men may have
left the house in that statewhen they departed on Wednesday,
(06:23):
or if it was in that state whenthey left.
Sophia (06:27):
The door was open and the light was on.
D (06:29):
The doors were unlocked and open.
The house was deserted and theradio was on.
But Branson was not present.
Sophia (06:37):
And where is Jena at this point?
D (06:38):
Not at the house.
She's gone.
It's a few days now.
There's nowhere mentioned in anydocumentation, at least to the
public, if the house was leftthat way, or if something
happened afterwards.
Sophia (06:50):
So maybe perhaps she left when Branson did not come
back from the shed.
D (06:54):
There's more to this story.
Because it was Jena and the twomechanics.
There's no mention to thepublic, at least, how the house
was left.
Or why they would even leave ifhe didn't come back.
Sophia (07:09):
This is definitely a really strange scenario.
And it's a strange scene for thegrandmother.
And what I'm assuming eventuallythe police to have to put back
together and even hearing it formyself, trying to put the pieces
of, you know, Branson andknowing that Jena was there and
that there was a crew working onthe car there.
(07:31):
This whole thing is definitely adisorganized picture to have to
put back together and try andfigure out what's going on.
D (07:38):
I don't think Branson's grandmother knew all this.
She just didn't know what wasgoing on.
So this is what happens.
Branson's grandmother is worriedand starts asking around town,
but no one has seen him.
She found this unusual andcalled the residents
periodically over the nextseveral days, but got no answer.
Upon calling Branson's mother,Rebecca Klino, she found that
(08:02):
she had not spoken to himeither.
Now, it's not clear whichspecific date, on April 13th or
14th of 2001.
And this is a side note, andthat's the probable date.
A house in Quitman, which isclose, frequently used to buy
drugs burns down, that Bransonwas supposedly involved with.
(08:26):
Okay.
Sophia (08:27):
A meaning that Branson bought drugs from them?
D (08:30):
He was involved with it.
Sophia (08:32):
That's how they say it?
D (08:33):
Yes.
Sophia (08:33):
Okay.
D (08:34):
Now Bob was discharged from the hospital several days later
than planned and after hisrelease he and Klino filed a
missing report on April 17th.
There are also some reports thatit was on April 16th.
So I'm not sure which dateexactly, the 17th or the 16th,
but one of those two days theyreported a missing person.
(08:58):
Not only was it uncharacteristicof him to be out of touch for so
long, but all of his personalbelongings were left behind.
Foul play was immediatelysuspected.
Sophia (09:11):
I'm glad the police did not waste any time and came to
the conclusion that they shouldinvestigate it.
D (09:17):
Well, it's quite a few days, too, at this point.
Sophia (09:20):
True.
That's true, unfortunately.
D (09:24):
Nodaway County Sheriff Ben Epsey began searching for
Branson by combing a 15 mile,which is a 24 kilometer, radius
perimeter from the Perry'sresidence.
Numerous fields, farms, andabandoned buildings were
searched, but the efforts provedfruitless.
(09:45):
During a search of the property,police were unable to locate the
jumper cables Branson hadpurportedly left to return in
the shed.
Two weeks later, however, theywere found just inside the door.
Over the following month and ahalf, over 100 people were
interviewed in Branson'sdisappearance.
(10:07):
Jena, who had been at Branson'shome the day of the
disappearance, admitted to lawenforcement that he had recently
been experimenting withmarijuana and amphetamines.
A family member also informedpolice that Branson had a bottle
of Valium in his possession theday he disappeared.
Law enforcement questioned drugacquaintances of Branson's in
(10:30):
St.
Joseph, but all stated that theyhad not seen him, and each past
polygraph examinations.
Further investigations into thelocal drug trade was undertaken,
but no discernible leads wereuncovered despite rumors that
Branson owned drug dealersmoney.
(10:51):
Bob initially suspected that hisson had left to stay with
friends in Kansas City.
Because Branson did not have aworking car at the time, Bob
presumed he may have hitchhiked.
No one seemed to know whathappened to him.
Sophia (11:05):
That's curious.
I'm wondering why Bob thoughtthat when all these lights were
on, and the doors were unlocked,and the radio was on.
Elena (11:13):
Also, isn't the police saying that it's suspicious?
D (11:17):
The police is saying it's suspicious.
However, I do not know why hisfather felt that way.
I don't know if he had done thisbefore, or just maybe he was
hopeful that's what he was doingand why he wasn't, anywhere near
there.
Unless his father knew he had adrug situation, maybe he wanted
to get away.
Elena (11:36):
Oh, okay.
Interesting.
D (11:39):
As far as we know regarding Biermann with Branson's
disappearance, Biermann hasnever been officially named as a
prime suspect in the case, andit's unclear how or if he
responded to Branson Perry'sdisappearance.
Branson's disappearance receivednational media coverage and was
(12:00):
profiled extensively byjournalist and crime writer
Diane Fanning in a bookconcerning Branson's relative,
Bobbie Jo Stinnett, who waseight months pregnant, murdered,
and had her unborn child stolen2004.
Yes, this also happened inSkidmore, Missouri.
Sophia (12:19):
Oh my gosh.
So this is Branson's relative?
D (12:22):
It is.
I think his cousin actually.
Elena (12:24):
Wait, so you said they had their unborn child?
D (12:27):
Yes, it's another story.
Her name is Bobbie Jo Stinnett,and she was eight months
pregnant, and there's a wholestory behind it, but she was
murdered and they took herunborn child.
Elena (12:38):
Oh my God.
Sophia (12:39):
Did they ever find the baby?
D (12:41):
Yes.
Elena (12:43):
And so this was his cousin you said?
D (12:45):
Yes, I think it was his cousin.
Elena (12:46):
Wow.
D (12:48):
Yeah, the family seems to have had some difficulties.
And this happened in 2004, hewas in 2001.
Sophia (12:55):
So tragic
D (12:57):
Branson's, aunt Gail McMurray told the press that her nephew
loved nature and it was acompassionate young man.
She claims Branson had come toher and confined that he had
wanted to get off drugs.
She said that he had originallykept that from her.
And this is what she said,"Iknew about him going camping and
(13:19):
all the fun stuff and about hispersonal life, but I did not
know anything about the druglife." Branson vanished only
days before he was set to go toa rehab facility.
Branson's aunt promised to nevergive up searching for Branson.
She believes that people are tooscared to talk.
(13:41):
But then on April 10, 2003, apromising suspect appeared in a
rather gruesome way.
It all started when a former 59year old Presbyterian minister
and Boy Scout leader named JackWayne Rogers was arrested in
Fulton, Missouri that hadnothing to do with Branson.
(14:03):
After attempting to perform sexreassignment surgery on a trans
woman and failing to stop thebleeding in a makeshift gender
reassignment surgery at a hotelin Columbia, Jack Wayne Roger
was charged with first degreeassault and practicing medicine
without a license.
(14:24):
But when authorities searchedhis belongings, they discovered
evidence of even more disturbingcrimes on his computer.
Elena (14:34):
Who was the person they found the disturbing crime on?
Sophia (14:37):
Jack Wayne Rogers.
D (14:38):
Jack Wayne Rogers.
Elena (14:39):
Okay.
And who was he to Branson?
D (14:42):
Nothing, okay.
they caught this guy because hewas doing surgery on a trans
woman.
Sophia (14:46):
Does Jack have any prior medical experience?
That's crazy.
Elena (14:52):
Has he ever done a surgery like this before, or
just out of the blue said, Icould do it?
D (14:57):
No medical experience or training.
Now, not only did they findchild pornography, they also
came across highly distressingonline posts under usernames
such as Burgerbutt.
Sophia (15:14):
Ew.
Elena (15:14):
What?
D (15:16):
Yes, and some other weird ones.
That was just I didn't put here.
Elena (15:20):
That was his username.
D (15:21):
Yeah.
He had like quite a fewusernames.
One was this one.
Ew.
These posts describe the rape,torture, and murder of several
men.
In some cases, Rogers had eventalked about cannibalizing
several genitals.
Elena (15:38):
Wait, so what was he doing to several genitals?
Cannibalizing.
Uhhuh.
Wow.
Sophia (15:42):
He talked about it according to mom, right?
D (15:45):
Yes.
That's what they say.
Elena (15:47):
That's disgusting.
Sophia (15:48):
This man is vile.
D (15:49):
Perhaps most shocking was the post about murdering a blonde
male, hitchhiking, that fitBranson's description and
burying him in the Ozarks.
When questioned about this, JackWayne Rogers claimed the post
was a work of fiction and deniedever meeting Branson.
(16:11):
But then the police found aturtle claw necklace in Roger's
car, which bore an uncannyresemblance to the one of
Branson's necklaces.
However, none of this sufficedwas hard evidence.
In 2004, Jack Wayne Rogers wasonly convicted of assault,
illegal surgery, childpornography, and obscenity.
(16:35):
He received a 17 year sentencefor assault, 7 years for illegal
surgery, and 30 years for childpornography and obscenity, which
would run concurrent with theformer two charges total of 54
years.
At his sentencing, Branson'smother begged for Rogers to
(16:56):
reveal his whereabouts, butRogers denied being involved in
the disappearance.
His earliest release date isOctober 30, 2028, and he will be
83 years old.
It was never confirmed that hehad anything to do with
Branson's disappearance.
(17:16):
The police are not completelyruling it out, but now the
investigation has turned towardsSkidmore again.
They have received new leadsthere.
Branson's mother,"I suppose timewas a way of unraveling secrets.
I believe someone in the areaknows what happens to Branson.
(17:37):
In my heart, I believe thissuspect is responsible.
Despite the nightmare I havelived through, and his
sentencing, I am thankful thatsomeone with that much evil will
never walk this street,"Branson's mother waited for
answers regarding her son, butshe was eventually convinced
that Rogers was innocent ofabducting him.
(17:58):
In my heart, I don't believethis suspect is responsible, she
said.
Becky Klino recounted on herwebsite, the circumstances of
her son's disappearance remainrather unclear.
Tragically, the Perry family hasdwindled in the last two
decades.
Branson's father died in 2004.
(18:20):
In June 2009, A Holt Countyprisoner tips off authorities
that he knows where Branson isburied.
Law enforcement revealed theywere completing an excavation on
a site in Quitman, Missouriafter receiving an incredible
tip that Branson's remains mayhave been located there.
(18:43):
Over a period of two days,excavators dug a 23 foot, 7.
0 meters, deep hole.
They covered an area of around20 feet, 6.
1 meters, by 40 feet, 12 meters.
At that time, another localfarmer who resided 1.5 miles
away, 2.
(19:04):
4 kilometers, east of Quitmanstated that law enforcement has
searched his property severalyears prior searching for an
abandoned well, but the searchyielded no results After two
days of excavation the prisonerlater recants in which nothing
is found.
In 2010, Klino offered a$20,000reward for information leading
(19:30):
to her son's whereabouts.
In February of 2011, Klino diedafter years long battle with
melanoma.
Jo-Ann Stinnett, Branson'sgrandmother, said at the time of
Klino's death,"Around town wesearched every oil well.
Every outside toilet.
(19:51):
We searched everywhere that waspossible for us to think that
something could be there."Monica Caison, the founder of
CUE Center for Missing Personsand a friend of Klino, stated
that she and close friends havepromised her that they will
continue to look for her son.
(20:14):
In her obituary, it was notedthat Klino was preceded in death
by Branson, and she was buriedbeside an empty plot for Branson
that lists his date of death asApril 11th, 2001, that same day
he disappeared.
In 2015, Branson's grandmotherJo-Ann Stinnett dies.
(20:36):
But in April of 2019, NodawayCounty Sheriff Randy Strong
tells the St.
Joseph News Press that Bransonwas last seen at a house that
burned down and authoritieswon't give up solving the case
as justice and closure for therest of the Branson's family are
(20:56):
essential.
And this is what he said,"You goback through and you review the
reports and see if we've missedanything.
The individuals involvedcontinue to be a threat to the
community.
Second, it's the right thing todo.
If it was a family member ofmine or yours, you'd want us to
work on it much as we could.
(21:18):
I think he was with a group ofindividuals that he knew when he
was murdered.
And it's pretty simple as that.
The stinking point on this, Ibelieve, is that we're dealing
with drug culture.
They're not willing to give muchinformation and we don't know
where the body is." Strong andhis colleagues would meet with
(21:41):
prosecutor's office the secondthey obtained enough evidence on
a suspect.
Missouri State Highway PatrolSergeant Roger Phillips says,
"Just because she is not here,doesn't mean this train is not
going to keep moving.
It's about getting to thetruth." On August 14, 2022,
(22:02):
Nodaway County Sheriff RandyStrong announced a suspect had
been identified, but moreevidence was needed.
And they only need a Branson'sbody to make the arrest.
In 2024, Nodaway CountySheriff's Office, Missouri State
Highway Patrol, FBI, and otheragents searched a well in
(22:23):
Quitman after receiving acredible tip connected to the
Branson case.
No new evidence was found.
The case's first leadinvestigator was Stephen
Whittington who worked on theNodawa County Sheriff's Office
as a sergeant and investigatorfrom 1997 to 2010.
(22:45):
He told the Forum, 23 yearslater, that we just went talking
to people and just lookingaround.
Put out alerts and what haveyou, put out a missing person
thing on him.
And we never got any response atall back from that, Whittington
said.
Foul play wasn't necessarilysuspected at first.
(23:05):
Branson wouldn't have been thefirst 20 year old to hitchhike
away from a rural home withoutwarning.
"We kept watching the bankaccount.
He had money in the bank accountand he never touched it, so it
wasn't like he took off.
But it was quick and clear thatwherever Branson had gone,
(23:26):
something had happened."Whittington said.
According to Klino's account onher website, all of Branson's
belongings were still at homewhen the investigators arrived,
including his wallet.
That is, except for the jumpercables, which police, Klino
said, did not find in the nearbystorage shed where Branson said
(23:50):
he was going to bring them.
weeks later, however, the cableswere found, just inside the door
of the shed.
Though it's unclear from Klino'saccount who found them.
By that point, that case hadalready reached an impasse and
Whittington was sure of onething.
Some foul play was definitelyevolved, especially when
(24:12):
everything just went.
It was cold, you know, andnobody was talking, he told the
Forum.
That included the two men whowere working on Bob vehicle at
the time Branson was last seen.
According to Whittington, one ofthem was mechanic Bill Dragoo.
Dragoo died in 2021.
(24:34):
"I always felt that Bill knewsomething about it.
But he never would talk oranything." Whittington said, and
this is the first time theymentioned one of the mechanics
During the first year afterBranson disappeared, Whittington
said he recalled digging up aseptic tank in Holt County, an
area north of Skidmore, a spotin Quitman, and that he searched
(24:58):
as many wells as they couldfind, following up on leads and
even the weakest rumors, just incase they could find something
that would put them on the trailto Branson.
As time went on, with more than100 interviews conducted in the
two months or so after Bransonhad been reported missing, law
enforcement agencies became moreand more focused on his
(25:21):
connections to the drug scenearound Skidmore and Quitman, a
small unincorporate area, aboutsix miles to the south of
Skidmore.
In particular, they focus onstatements from witnesses who
reportedly said that the lasttime Branson was seen wasn't at
his home is Skidmore, but laterat the house just east of
(25:43):
Quitman.
And that's the house that burneddown.
Elena (25:47):
Okay, that's interesting.
Was that, the drug house too?
Correct.
Yeah.
Interesting.
D (25:51):
"I'm sure this is all tied to drugs," Whittington said.
After more than two decades,more serious theories about what
happened to Branson Perryinvolve people he knew through
drugs.
"I can tell you that there was alot of people that were involved
in the drug community involvedin selling, and there were a
(26:13):
whole bunch of them that wereall familiar with each other,"
said Darren White, a NowadayCounty Sheriff Deputy in 2001
and later Sheriff from 2009 to2017.
In rumors and anonymous tipsover the years, a certain house
situated on a gravel road abouta mile east of Quitman that was
(26:35):
a popular place to buy drugskept coming up.
In fact, White said thatwitnesses at the time gave
statements to investigator thatplaced Branson at the house
after he had left his home inSkidmore, though White said he
was not involved in theinvestigation itself at the time
those statements were received.
(26:58):
Instead, he told the Forum in aninterview that he was a deputy
on duty when the house burneddown.
Although he cautioned that hewasn't sure of the exact
sequence of events and neitherwas Whittington, White said that
he was sure that when the houseburned down, Branson had not yet
been reported missing.
(27:19):
To the best of his recollection,he said that the fire took place
sometime during the five daysbetween the last time Crawford
saw Branson at his home onWednesday and when Branson's
family reported him missing onMonday, probably Friday or
Saturday night, he said.
There was a lot of activity theywent out there," White said, but
(27:41):
by the time of the fire"they hadall abandoned the place and this
was in retrospect after Bransonwent missing but before he was
reported." On that Friday orSaturday night, White said he
responded to the fire at thehouse.
"By the time that we got thecall and got there, there was
absolutely nothing left, hesaid.
(28:03):
It had burned to the ground."
Elena (28:05):
Was there any sign of a body in there?
I mean, I'm sure if there was,they would have seen it.
So I'm guessing not.
D (28:12):
I don't think there was a sign of any body in there, but I
think it had burned so much.
Sophia (28:18):
And when did this house burn down in relation to when
Branson went missing?
D (28:21):
He went missing on April 11th is the last time they saw him,
and either April 13 or 14 thehouse burns down.
Sophia (28:30):
Wow! That could potentially say something.
Elena (28:32):
I guess he could have been alive that whole time and
then someone had taken them orsomething and then burned the
house down.
Sophia (28:39):
But they didn't find a body.
Elena (28:40):
Oh yeah, that is If they didn't find a body, unless they
went back and took it?
I don't know.
Sophia (28:47):
Then maybe they were just destroying evidence.
Elena (28:48):
Yeah, maybe he was killed in there, but they moved his
body and just destroying theevidence.
D (28:53):
I don't know, but I could tell you what White said.
Okay.
White said that it's most likelythe answer to what happened to
Branson with the house burning.
And he said,"The best theory isthat he was murdered in the
house.
That ultimately, of course, whenthe house was destroyed by fire,
and possibly evidence that mighthave been there would have been
(29:15):
destroyed in the fire," Whitesaid.
The house was featuredprominently in rumors over the
years as well.
And in April of 2019, NodawayCounty Sheriff Randy Strong told
the St.
Joseph News Press that Bransonwas last seen on April 11, 2001
at a residence that burned downonly days later.
(29:39):
Strong also confirmed to theForum that he was referring to a
house in Quitman based onevidence gathered before he had
become sheriff.
He said he did not want to sharemore for fear of putting someone
in danger due to specificity ofthe information.
Sophia (29:57):
It's definitely strange that this house burned down, but
what's also strange is that thepeople who were at the house,
the last time he was at his ownhouse, Jena and the workers
working on the car, don't reallysay much about how they left the
house and how they left Branson,which is also weird and
confusing.
D (30:18):
Correct.
It just sounds very strange.
Now, unless something happenedand they were afraid for their
lives, because they weren'ttalking.
Or they were also involved indrugs.
Elena (30:30):
Yeah, I was kind of confused how they don't remember
what the house looked like whenthey left.
They could say, like, if itlooked I don't know, neat,
dirty, whatever, like they canat least say something, which
makes me think maybe they'reafraid or they're hiding
something, something like that.
D (30:46):
It is possible that either they all had drugs and then
heard what happened to him andthey didn't want to get
involved.
Even if they're friends, it is asmall town, they all know each
other.
And if It involved drugs, andthey killed him then they're
afraid to talk.
Sophia (31:03):
But why would they kill Branson?
D (31:06):
Maybe he owed them money, he couldn't pay them.
Or something happened.
Elena (31:09):
Or maybe, like, he had an accidental OD.
Not saying that the friends werethe ones that were there, but
I'm just saying that whoever wasthere with Branson, they
could've tried something new,and maybe it was laced or
whatever, and he OD'd, and theywere afraid that they were gonna
get charged.
Sophia (31:27):
So they left him, they took him from his house, and
then brought him to the drughouse?
Elena (31:31):
He might not have been in the house.
Sophia (31:33):
He was, remember?
Because all the lights were on.
D (31:34):
He left.
According to Jena, he left.
Elena (31:37):
That's what I'm saying, he could have gone to the drug
house and that's where ithappened.
Sophia (31:41):
But that, to me, that still doesn't answer the
question as to why the house wasin the condition it was when his
grandma visited.
Elena (31:47):
True, unless they're going to find something that
maybe could trace it back tothem.
I don't know.
D (31:53):
I have no idea.
It looks like someone may hadgone in for some reason.
I don't understand, if Jena wasthe last one out, why didn't she
turn off the radio?
She never said the radio was onever.
Sophia (32:05):
It's just strange.
I don't think he wenthitchhiking.
He was visiting his father everysingle day in the hospital, and
I don't think he would justabruptly stop and not say
anything to his dad.
Elena (32:15):
Agreed.
D (32:16):
I really do think something happened in Quitman.
Right.
Now, maybe he did OD, or maybehe went to get drugs, and they
got into some fight, and theykilled him accidentally, or on
purpose.
I have no idea.
Yeah.
It could be they got afraid,left the house.
Notice no one was coming lookingfor him.
And burned it later.
Elena (32:37):
Also, like whenever there's drugs involved, there's
almost always guns involved too.
He could have gone to get likesome drugs and witnessed
something that he wasn't meantto see, and they had to silence
him basically.
D (32:51):
It could be anything.
That's for sure.
But something did happen in thathome, I think.
Because that home did burn downa few days later.
Elena (32:59):
Yeah.
Did the fire department ever saylike if it was an accidental
burning or intentional?
I think they think it was anintentional one.
Okay, that's what I thought.
D (33:09):
Even if the investigators believe that Branson was last
seen at the house, that doesn'tsolve the crime.
White cautioned.
In the more than two decadesthat the case has been opened,
law enforcement officials havefollowed hundreds of leads that
have all so far failed to leadto finding Branson.
Without that, there has neverbeen enough to warrant an
(33:32):
arrest.
White said,"There was just a lotof little pieces of information,
but not enough to put everythingtogether.".Branson's
disappearance has receivedcoverage in a July 17, 2010
episode of the Fox televisionprogram America's Most Wanted
(33:52):
and in the Sundance Channelseries No One Saw a Thing in
2019.
The Nowaday County Sheriff asksanyone with information about
the Branson Perry case tocontact them at(660) 582-7451.
Elena (34:12):
It's definitely a very interesting and perplexing case,
I would say.
Sophia (34:18):
If it's such a small town, I know people can't make
accusations, but I'm surethey're thinking, oh, it's
probably so and so, or I heardso and so was involved.
D (34:29):
I also think that the sheriff has a good idea who it may be,
but like he said, if he needs abody, he's never going to find
one.
Unless they killed him and movedhim, but if they burned him,
they're never going to find abody.
Sophia (34:44):
You can find bodies if they've been burned.
D (34:47):
But they didn't find anything.
No one ever said, the houseburned down, and they went in
there and found anything.
I'm not even sure if the firedepartment was ever called.
Sophia (34:56):
So you think maybe the fire department never even
examined the house?
D (34:59):
Correct.
Sophia (35:00):
Whoa, that's interesting.
Elena (35:02):
But still, like, eventually someone had to walk
through it and they would haveseen the body.
I mean, it wasn't hot enough tocremate it.
House fires can't get hotenough.
Sophia (35:10):
Exactly, I think the temperatures need to be
insurmountable compared to ahouse fire.
D (35:16):
So maybe they just destroyed some evidence that was there and
then maybe he is buried.
Cause the police still thinksthey're gonna find a body.
Because they said that's theonly evidence.
So maybe they know somethingthat we don't.
It's possible.
They're not saying everything,you know, they never do.
Sophia (35:33):
I could definitely see this one being solved in the
future.
D (35:37):
If someone talks.
Right?
Because there's no DNA, there'sno evidence at that home.
Elena (35:43):
Unless a body gets discovered at some point by
accident, you never know
D (35:48):
That's true.
So in the other thing is thepolice seems to be, digging up
places and looking at wells, somaybe there's something going on
there.
Maybe they're aware ofsomething.
Anyways, it's just so strangefor me to have so many things
happening at Skidmore, Missouri.
Elena (36:07):
Yeah, for such a small town, it's very interesting.
D (36:11):
I agree.
But you know, small or big, it'sinteresting how drugs got there
too.
Sophia (36:18):
Yeah, I wouldn't think 245 people was enough for there
to be a drug house.
Now I'm assuming they probablysold drugs to the nearby cities
as well, though.
D (36:25):
Well, the drug house wasn't at Skidmore, it was Quitman,
which is also small.
Sophia (36:29):
Oh, okay.
D (36:30):
But you do have young people.
Sophia (36:32):
And also people you would not even expect are doing
drugs too.
D (36:36):
True.
Elena (36:37):
Plus, didn't they have like lesser, like not as
hardcore drugs?
You mentioned like marijuana.
D (36:43):
Well, that's the only thing they've mentioned to us in the
articles.
I really don't know what he wasdoing, but he was going to go to
rehab, which is not formarijuana.
Elena (36:54):
I know you mentioned that Branson had smoked weed, so I'm
assuming that these people arealso dealing weed as well.
And there's probably a hugemarket, even in that small town,
for at least that drug.
And it probably doesn't helpthat it's like a boring, old,
small town.
D (37:11):
I would say there's a market for the drugs, too, in that
small town.
I don't think it's justmarijuana.
It also could be that his familydon't want to admit it or talk
about it.
It's okay to talk aboutmarijuana, but not the other
stuff.
Now, in some states, marijuanais also legal, so maybe they
don't feel like a big deal totalk about it.
I think there's more there tothe drugs than, maybe even his
(37:35):
family knows or the police wantto say.
Mm hmm.
Sophia (37:38):
I definitely think and I hope that the police have more
information that they're justnot sharing so that they can
eventually use that to solvethis case one day.
Branson's parents, they're bothdead now?
D (37:49):
Correct.
Sophia (37:50):
Okay, I'm looking at photos of Branson.
He just seems like a reallysweet, nice person.
He seems like somebody who, ifyou were bored and you were
sitting in class next to, you'dhave a good conversation with.
Elena (38:01):
He does seem really sweet.
His mom looked sweet too.
D (38:05):
He definitely had his problems, because he was with
the drugs.
But you know, he would go seehis dad.
He was taking care of the house.
He was cleaning it, so he didcare that his dad came back to a
clean house.
So it wasn't like he didn'tcare.
I just think that somehow he gotin over his head more than he
thought he was.
Sophia (38:25):
And he seemed like a really great son.
Like he seemed like he was openwith his parents, and he was
visiting his dad every singleday in the hospital.
He was taking care of the house,and he was 20 years old.
I mean, there's a lot of kids atthat age who wouldn't be able to
and wouldn't even want to dothat.
So he just seems like a reallymature, responsible, great young
(38:46):
man.
So, it's really sad that hislife was most likely, in my
opinion, taken way too soon.
D (38:53):
Unfortunately, when you get involved with drugs, a lot of
things happen.
Sophia (38:57):
Yeah, sometimes, I think in ways unexpected.
I think sometimes people thinkit's just going be about the
drugs, and unfortunately, therecan be really bad characters
involved with that scene.
D (39:09):
I want to thank you for listening to us this week.
We love our listeners andbecause of you, we do this
podcast.
Your help and engagement reallyhelps the podcast grow.
If you enjoyed this episode,please text a friend and family
member to listen to our podcast.
Until next time, make sure youstay on the Eerie Side.
(39:32):
Bye.
Bye.
Bye guys.
Be safe.
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