Mother's Eight-Year Fight for Justice After Son's 2018 'Drowning' Revealed as Murder
When Angela Moyers waved goodbye to her son Robbie Crites as he left for a solo fishing trip eight years ago, she had no idea it would be their final farewell. Police informed her that the 20-year-old had tragically drowned in an accident on June 16, 2018, in Missouri's Jacks Fork River, but Moyers immediately sensed something was terribly wrong.
"I know he didn't walk into the river and just drown," Moyers told the Daily Mail, explaining that her son had such an intense fear of drowning that he would ask her to sit on the toilet while he showered. "A number of things did not add up in the case," she added, becoming increasingly alarmed after viewing harrowing photos of her son's body that showed bloody facial injuries inconsistent with a simple drowning.
Dismissed Concerns and Family Connections
Moyers accused former Shannon County Sheriff Darrin Brawley of brushing off her concerns when she attempted to raise questions about the investigation. "I would take stuff in, and he would point at the door like I was a piece of crap," she recalled. "He'd say it was an open and shut investigation. [Robbie] walked in the river and he drowned. Well I know better."
Now, after a bombshell confession came to light, the case has been reopened under new Sheriff Eric Hogan, and three men have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Shannon County Prosecuting Attorney William Seay confirmed to the Daily Mail that former sheriff Darrin Brawley is distantly related to one of the suspects, Ronald D Brawley III, and the two appear to be friends on Facebook.
Three Men Charged with Murder
On March 5, Ronald D Brawley III, Zachary D Watson, and Austin D Womack were charged with murder in the second degree for Crites' death. All three men were taken into custody on a $250,000 cash-only bond. Brawley III and Watson have pleaded not guilty, while Womack has yet to enter a plea.
According to a criminal complaint viewed by the Daily Mail, the three men are accused of physically assaulting Crites, wrapping him in fishing line, and dumping him in the river, which eventually led to his drowning. A probable cause affidavit for arrest noted witness statements alleging that the men had previously bragged about killing Crites.
Shocking Confessions and Witness Testimonies
Multiple witnesses have provided disturbing accounts to police. Edward Steven Coleman Ferris told investigators that three weeks after the alleged killing, he asked Womack if he was "one of the boys who killed Crites." Womack allegedly replied, "Yeah, I killed that motherf***er. He owed me money for dope."
On a separate occasion during a bonfire, Womack allegedly told a group that he killed Crites for allegedly assaulting his sister. Witness Peyton Hammock told police that Womack claimed he hit Crites with a fishing pole before punching and kicking him, then stabbed Crites with a hook and ripped it across his torso. According to Hammock's testimony, Crites then had a seizure before Womack kicked him into the water.
Ronald Brawley III's cousin, Madelynne Prewett, told police that he had drunkenly confessed to the murder on June 18, 2018, claiming Crites owed Womack and Brawley $100 for methamphetamine and never paid them.
Video Evidence and Investigation Irregularities
Moyers shared a video that appeared to depict the bonfire incident, where voices can be heard discussing the killing. Prosecuting Attorney Seay confirmed that the video is being treated as evidence in the case.
The grieving mother also revealed disturbing details about the initial investigation. She said Sheriff Brawley had placed Crites' body in the back of a pickup truck after he was found in the river and never informed the coroner. "I asked him 'how would he feel if the shoe was on the other foot? And I was a sheriff, and I did that to his son' and he said, 'I don't have any kids,'" Moyers recalled.
Prosecuting Attorney William Seay confirmed that ex-Sheriff Brawley did use a pickup truck to transport Crites' body, which was not standard protocol, and that a coroner did not examine the body to determine a cause of death. Seay explained that while this wasn't standard procedure, a sheriff is authorized to do so if a coroner is not available.
A Mother's Unwavering Determination
Moyers said her son's death certificate read "accidental drowning, unknown" and that she was told at the funeral home that the cuts on her son's face were not consistent with a drowning. She decided to post graphic images of her son's body online two years after his death because she wanted people to see what happened to him.
"I just wanna see that my son gets the justice that he deserves," Moyers said, acknowledging the complex emotions surrounding the arrests. "It weighs on my heart for his kids, because it's innocent children. But then again, I live every day without my son. Wondering who he would've been, how many kids he would've had if he would've been married, what his life would've been like."
Moyers described her son as an "adventurer" who loved to hunt and fish, remembering him as "caring" and "vibrant." The last eight years have marked a tiresome fight for justice in her son's case, but with the recent arrests and reopened investigation, she may finally see the truth emerge about what really happened to Robbie Crites on that fateful day in 2018.
