Brianna Maitland: Primer

Brianna Maitland went missing from Vermont on March 19 2004. She was born on October 8, 1986 and was 17 at the time of her disappearance. 

There is an element here where many people believe her case is drug related. The drug in question specifically being crack. A rumor existed that she was disposed of at a pig farm. This theory’s motive is that she either owned some drug dealers money or had fronted them money and was demanding her money back. 

Now, apparently there were checks in her car that had not been cashed. These were her paychecks. Now, most people are quick to cash any check they get, especially a pay check.

It has also been stated that she had spoken with someone at the mall earlier. The conversation appeared to have been upsetting or stressful as her mother said. It was rumored that someone had told or wanted her not to go to work that night.  

A few weeks before her disappearance on February 27, 2004, she had attended a party. She was in attendance with her boyfriend and was is described as high school friends.  Apparently at some point it was viewed that she was acting flirtatious with the boyfriend of another girl named Keallie Lacrosse. 

The story goes that while Brianna was wanting in the car to leave, there was a knock on the window. She rolled the window down and was punched in the face by Keallie. The “punch” was enough to break her nose and give her a concussion. That to me personally sounds a bit extreme for a window punch, it sounds more like a beat down. Brianna was eventually convinced by her mother to report this to police report. I think maybe Brianna minimized what had happened out of fear, embarrassment, or both. I believe she was more likely beat prior to her leaving the party which prompted her to leave. I don’t think she was actually in the process of already leaving when this occurred.

If the interaction with the boyfriend was infuriating enough for Keallie to want to beat her, I doubt she waited. If she wanted to beat the hell out of her, she would have just done it right then and there. And there very well may be more people involved. 

TIMELINE

March 19 2004

This morning, Brianna took her GED exam which she passed. Afterwards she went to have lunch with her mother Kellie. Lunch seemed normal and Brianna was in good spirits. She was making plans for her futures, discussing things like college. The pair went shopping after.  At some point Brianna stepped away and had a change in mood upon her return. 

She then excused herself as she needed to go home and get ready for work. She had a shift that night at the Black Lantern in. 

She finished up working around 11:20 PM. She had been invited out that night by co-workers. She declined as she was to work at her second job the next day. 

Now here’s the sightings of her car between this point in the timeline and when LE arrive to the scene. 

11:30 -12:00 A man drove by and thinks he may have see the headlights on, but did not see anyone around the car. 

12:00-12:30 Another man drives by and believes he saw the turn signals flashing on the car. 

4 am - A former boyfriend drives by and sees the car. He thinks it looks familiar. Once again, he too sees no one around the car. 

March 20 2004

A Vermont state trooper is dispatched to the area. Specifically a place called the the Dutchbarn farmhouse. This is an abandoned building that has it’s own back story. Her car had been backed into the side of the house. Items observed in the car include loose change, water bottle, unlit cigarette outside the car.

It is believed at the time that this was just simply someone abandoning the car after a drunk driving episode. The car was towed to a local garage. 

It is also to be noted that this car was registered to her mother, and he mother was not notified. 

March 23 2004

Jillian Stout was Brianna’s roommate at the time. The last time she had heard anything from her was just a note she had left saying she was going to work and then would be coming home straight after. Apparently she made the assumption Brianna had decided to go back to her parents, but as more time passed the concern grew. 

March 25 2004

Missing person’s report is filed by her mother at this time. It is not until they start searching that it is realized her car had been towed. 

SUMMARY

Brianna has never been seen again, and many rumors and theories have been brought forward since.  I’ll do some posts on that at another time. The most prevalent one is that it was something drug related. A few people think she chose to go missing, which I just don't see. here. There is also the chance of an opportunity killer.

The Dutchburn House

So recently, I’ve been sort of deep diving into the case of Brianna Maitland from Vermont. I’m sure if you’re searching on this topic then you’re familiar with that case to some extent. The location her car was found backed in to was an abandoned house called the Dutchburn house. It’s been demolished at this point but there is a history to that house that I found interesting and wanted to know more about.

The year was 1986 and two farmers lived at the farmhouse. There was Myron and Harry, though it appears Myron went by Mike. I have seen their ages listed as 75/77 and 76/79 respectively. 

The early morning of January 31st, Harry heard a voice calling him by name. It was a stranger, and he was asking for help stating he had run out of gas. The brothers told them they had none, at which point this person begun beating on the door of the home. The initial inquiry wasn’t such a strange request; they where known in the area to assist drivers that had car trouble in the area.

Mike decided to leave his bed and go downstairs to address the issue, and at this point the door to the home was already being kicked in. 

At this point the fight began. Mike was punched in the face by what he thought were probably brass knuckles. He tried to put the assailant in a headlock but was overpowered. Around this time a second person entered the home. Harry came to Mike’s aide but he ended up being beaten with his own cane. 

The brothers had a tendency to keep large amounts of cash in the house and this fact seemed to be the motive for these two attackers. The brothers were brutally beat and should never recover. It seems the attackers made off with about $6,000-$7,000.

The pair laid injured and bloody in the floor for over 3 hours before Mike found the strength to get up. He managed to drive himself to the home of a neighbors. It is said that the injuries to their faces made them unrecognizable. 

Harry needed 10 stitches to close the would to his head, and his right eye was permanently damaged.

The pair became reclusive and and understandably no longer trusted people around them. They quickly sold off their cows and retired. They rarely left their home. Any noise at night would startle them, terrified of suffering another attack. They sealed themselves in the home. The installed new dead bolts. And it prompted them to open a check account, no longer wanting to keep their cash close.

Eventually they ended up in nursing homes. Mike passed in 1991 followed by Harry in 1999.

Darrell L. Clark and Louise R. Gilbeau were late arrested and sentenced for the crime. They had cash that reeked of the musty barn smell. The cash they came to steal lead to their downfall. 

The brothers were previously known for helping people having car trouble in the area. People would often get stuck or spin out. I find it a weird thought that if they had been alive and there, they might have helped Brianna Maitland.

Apparently the house was set on fire by teenagers in 2016, and the Dutchburn house no longer stands. 

It would appear that Darrell Clark actually lived down the road from the house when Brianna went missing. So clearly he didn’t get life. He resided there from 2001-2006. The time line fits, maybe there is more to this. It would certainly be a different approach to Brianna’s case. He would change his home address to a business address 2 years after her disappearance. I’m sure I will have more posts and thoughts on this later.