NE - Tracy Brannan, 33, murdered in her Omaha home, 24 July 2010

[crystalgenie]

This entire case is fishy. The father who is a psychologist doesn't notice that his son his high on LSD and drunk? I smell something...

The father marries a woman who is closer in age to his son than him? Tracy looked awfull friendly with the son however they might have had more in common than she would have had with a husband old enough to be her father.

When a story is changing... someone is lying... MOO.

 

[YellowDog]

Exactly- no it's not far fetched. I wonder if Dr Brannan knew the Hunter family? Both Dr Brannan and the Hunters vacationed extensively in Scotland.
The wagons are circling here in Omaha already- very little in the paper this morning and a comment I made on one of the TV websites drew reaction from people who think no one should be saying anything, etc.

Could the two families ever have been on the same tour together giving the boys a chance to become acquainted?

 

[Snick1946]

The POI in the Hunter/ Sherman case was described as having an olive complexion. BTW, that was really a great thread you wrote on the March 2008 murders.

Thanks- I can't take a lot of credit for it, I have had some of the best people on WS helping! You will be welcome on that thread anytime, we need new posters and ideas.

Does anyone else think that a 60 year old man who is into fantasy games is a little strange? I will admit I play Madden NFL on my son's Playstation sometimes, but fantasy games- that's a little unusual.

I was in touch earlier today online on a local news website with someone who says he is a friend of Dr Brannan's. He says the doctor will 'never get over this' and blames himself for what happened. From what I can see he has some well connected friends and unless they find something really obvious I think this one is going to fade quickly.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Hi WM

Only Scottish one was Tracy, Both the Dr and Son are American, I'm not sure if Omaha is where they come from but Im pretty sure its where Tracy visited them many times before she moved over there.

Also, Not to you WM but for those that comented on the Sons size, the last time he was in Scotland, he was alot thinner and that was about, i think a year or so ago, maybe a little longer...

Hi JoH and welcome to Websleuths! Thank you for answering my question. Also, I appreciate you clarifying the son's size. It is interesting to me that he was thinner a year or so ago. I wonder if the weight gain was natural progression from 'boy to man' or if the son was on any type of meds for depression, etc.

wm

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I have been searching for the previous incident when DB stabbed his father. This article mentions 'a 2007' case.

http://journalstar.com/news/state-a...cle_8fa2b2c2-98d4-11df-a00f-001cc4c002e0.html

Just trying to establish a timeline to see if he was incarcerated in March 2008.

wm

 

[BuzzieCat]

Guessing this is the picture dad is upset about

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...abbed-death-stepson-starting-new-life-US.html

He's holding onto her very inappropriately. Perhaps he was jealous, if he was indeed the perpetrator.

Dr Brannan told LE at first that David attacked them while they were asleep, then changed his story. Hopefully LE will check out his injuries for signs of self-infliction.
I'm still mulling over any possibility of this being linked to the Dundee killings. David is far heavier than the POI in that case but this was two years ago so you never know. You wouldn't think it'd be necessary but I may email a tip to Crimestoppers that someone needs to look into a possible connection.

That's very strange that the father's story would change. That makes me a lot more suspicious. The whole thing is very weird.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

I googled butterfly knife and found this image.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=F9lSTJTTK4X7lwet6ejaBg&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAQ

Are these legal in NE?

wm

 

[Paintr]

http://news.msn.co.nz/article/7935560/monster-stepson-knifes-newlywed-stepmum-to-death
Mrs Brannan's father said he believed David was jealous of his father's new relationship.

"David would say horrible things to Tracy and she did once say she was afraid to be alone with him," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Brannan has been released from hospital and allowed to return to the home where he has reportedly begun throwing his son's belongings into the street.

Police have confirmed Brannan will be charged with murder after he is released from hospital

 

[YellowDog]

http://news.msn.co.nz/article/7935560/monster-stepson-knifes-newlywed-stepmum-to-death
Mrs Brannan's father said he believed David was jealous of his father's new relationship.

"David would say horrible things to Tracy and she did once say she was afraid to be alone with him," he was quoted as saying.

Mr Brannan has been released from hospital and allowed to return to the home where he has reportedly begun throwing his son's belongings into the street.

Police have confirmed Brannan will be charged with murder after he is released from hospital

Isn't that somewhat of a bizarre attitude for a psychologist who obviously knew his son had major problems?

 

[Belinda]

Isn't that somewhat of a bizarre attitude for a psychologist who obviously knew his son had major problems?

I don't find that bizarre at all. The man is seriously ticked off. He has probably been putting up with his kids shenanigans for years and he has now been pushed over the edge. I don't blame him. I'd be throwing his crap out in the street too.

 

[BuzzieCat]

Why is he throwing it out into the street, though? I assume the son is still in jail? It's not like he's at home seeing his stuff get thrown out. Why not just take it to the dump instead of throwing it into the street? Someone is going to have to pick it up.

 

[Belinda]

I would say he is throwing it in the street out of pure rage. He has just lost his wife and his son is in jail for killing her. I don't think I would be very rational myself.

 

[YellowDog]

Yes, he has every right to be enraged. He was, though, the father of that boy for 21 years and had seen signs of his horrible anger in the past. Why had the violent son not been institutionalized?

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Yes, he has every right to be enraged. He was, though, the father of that boy for 21 years and had seen signs of his horrible anger in the past. Why had the violent son not been institutionalized?

YD, Good question. Perhaps the young man was on some type of medication for mental illness but had stopped taking it for what ever reason. I know some of those meds cause weight gain. A poster on the previous page said he was slim a year ago. I do think he probably had a crush on the stepmom.

This is all JMO and speculation on my part.

ws

 

[Belinda]

I don't think it is terribly easy to institutionalize anyone these days. The resources just aren't there anymore. Institutions have been closed. He would have had to be in pretty bad shape for such a thing to happen, I think. Maybe his father thought he could 'fix' him. Once he became an adult, it would have been next to impossible to commit him without extraordinary evidence that he should be held against his will. At least, that is my understanding of the current institution situation. Missizzy could probably give us more information on that.

 

[YellowDog]

Yes, I think it is very hard to get a person committed these days. I would think the father, being a psychologist though, might have had some connections not available to the average person.

It's very sad it ended up in murder.