The search for a missing Malabar firefighter expanded Tuesday. A search and rescue team is now looking in a wooded area near the lake where her truck and gear were found.
There were dozens of searchers and investigators working at the site Tuesday and across two counties trying to figure out what happened to Lt. Brandy Hall. They are hoping some new resources will shed some light on her disappearance.
After three days of searching for Hall, reinforcements arrived from South Florida. A specialized search and rescue team began combing the thick brush off of Treeland Boulevard. They brought with them a team of dogs capable of sniffing out humans, dead or alive.
"If there is anything out here or anybody, they should be able to find it," said Palm Bay Police Spokesperson Yvonne Martinez.
The 32-year-old mother of two vanished the night before she was to testify during her husband's sentencing for a marijuana growing operation. Jeffery Hall, her husband, was a former Osceola County fire chief.
In a rare move, Eyewitness News learned, Jeffery Hall was released from jail on $25,000 bond Monday night, just before he was to be taken to the state prison to serve an 18 month sentence. He was released pending an appeal.
Brandy Hall's truck was pulled from a Palm Bay lake and was being analyzed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but detectives said there weren't any obvious signs as to what happened to her.
"They don't know if she's dead or alive. They have not come to a point where they can rule out anything," Martinez said.
The Palm Bay police dive team mapped out the bottom of the lake where the truck was found. It was drained down to about two feet of water. Police said there is less and less of a chance they will find her body there.
Teams are now searching about a five-acre wooded area nearby. Meanwhile, detectives are conducting more interviews and following leads.
Police said they have received a number of tips. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Brandy Hall, you should call the Palm Bay Police Department or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
Previous Stories:
- August 21, 2006: Investigation Widens In Search For Missing Firefighter
- August 21, 2006: Pond Being Drained In Search For Missing Firefighter
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