What Happened to Brandon Embry? Part One
Part One
Brandon Wesley Embry was born on September 7th, 1986. From a very young age, his mother Sarah described Brandon as incredibly smart, and Brandon loved learning throughout his life. Brandon was an active person and played football in high school. Later in life, Brandon enjoyed powerlifting, and was dedicated to his fitness.
Brandon joined the U.S. Navy after graduating high school, following in the footsteps of his mother and step-father. After serving for five years, Brandon moved close to his family in Washington. Brandon later enrolled into community college, where he studied bioengineering and pre chemical engineering. Once Brandon completed his programs at community college, he enrolled at the University of Washington to complete his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering.
After a long-term relationship ended, Seattle was becoming very costly for Brandon. He was living on his own, paying for a large apartment, all while only working part-time due to the intensity of his chemical engineering program. Brandon’s family was now living in North Carolina, so his mother Sarah suggested he move closer to them.
In August 2018, Brandon moved into an apartment in Asheboro, North Carolina. Things were going well for Brandon - he was thriving at work, he was closer to his family, and his future looked bright…
Brandon’s Birthday
On Thursday, September 5th, 2019, Brandon returned home from a work trip. The following Friday, Brandon was fired from his job under mysterious circumstances. Brandon dog sat for his mother, Sarah, who seemed in good spirits. He was already in touch with a few recruiters regarding potential job opportunities, and the following day was his birthday.
Saturday came and went, and the only conversation Brandon had that day was with his step-dad. When his step-dad asked about his plans, Brandon explained he had plans with a girl, but that she cancelled on him last minute.
Something Isn’t Right
Sarah only heard from Brandon sporadically following his 33rd birthday, with his texts seeming off. After trying to call Brandon several times on Wednesday with no response, Sarah decided to go to Brandon’s apartment to check on him on Thursday, September 12th. Brandon’s truck was parked outside, but he would not answer the door. Feeling panicked, Sarah dialed 911.
What Happened to Brandon Embry?
When EMS and police entered Brandon’s apartment, they found Brandon unresponsive, on his bedroom floor. Brandon was nude and lying in a puddle of water and blood. He was covered in abrasions and lacerations from head to toe. EMS put Brandon on a stretcher, collared him, and covered him up to his head in a blanket.
Once Brandon arrived at the hospital, the staff noticed he was hypothermic. To make matters worse, Brandon was unresponsive and had abnormal breath sounds. After Brandon was re-evaluated around 8:00 p.m. that evening, he was still hypothermic. Additionally, Brandon had hyperkalemia, he was in acute respiratory failure, and had rhabdomyolysis.Doctors at Randolph Health decided that Brandon needed to be transferred to a higher level of care, so he was transported to Cone Health in Greensboro. Unfortunately, Brandon’s health continued to decline, and Sarah was faced with the difficult decision of continuing or ceasing life support. The impossible decision was made to let Brandon go, and he passed on Friday, September 13th, at 8:58 p.m.
Brandon’s Injuries
Hospital staff, Brandon’s family, and Asheboro Police Department the state of Brandon’s body while he was in the hospital. Brandon looked like he had been badly beaten, one nurse told Sarah, “it looks like he was hit by a car.”
The following is a list of Brandon’s injuries noted in his hospital record:
2cm laceration above L eyebrow
6.5 x 6cm bruise noted to L chest wall
Excessively large contusion note to L forarm/elbow region
4.5 x 3cm contusion noted to L lower abdomen
Excessively large contusion noted to L knee extending down into shin
Excessively large contusion noted to R ankle and R knee extending down into shin
Excessively large contusion noted to R buttock
Large contusion noted to bilateral knuckles
2 cm laceration noted to R inner wrist
Small puncture wound to L inner palm
Dried blood noted all over face, nares, and bilateral ears
What Happened at Brandon’s Apartment?
Once Asheboro Police Department released Brandon’s apartment back to his family, Brandon’s step-father and brother went there to pack up his belongings. Once they arrived, they couldn’t believe what they saw. The entire apartment looked like it had been ransacked - items were thrown around carelessly. There was blood spatter and damage to walls, closet doors, and one of the bedroom closet doors was ripped off it’s tracks. Brandon’s mattress was saturated in blood and water, and his pillow was as well.
Excerpt From: Asheboro Police Department Supplemental Incident Report
Asheboro Police Department Closes the Case
Detective Sudduth of Asheboro Police Department, the lead detective in Brandon’s case, suspected foul play when he saw what Brandon looked like in the hospital. Once he saw the state of Brandon’s apartment, he felt even more confident. However, in January of 2020, Detective Sudduth was promoted, leaving his partner, Detective Johnson in charge of Brandon’s case. Sarah was concerned with this news, as her limited interactions with Detective Johnson were not positive. And, Sarah was right - Detective Johnson officially closed Brandon’s case on February 27th, 2020, just five months after his death.
