Today I published a piece of long-form journalism that dives into the murders of Philip and Dorothy Porter, who were stabbed to death in their home on Lee Road, eight doors north of where Lisa Pruett’s body would be found. One suspect links each murder – David Branagan. “They said Branagan had an alibi,” says…
Before he died, David Branagan placed himself at the scene of three murders that occurred on his block in Shaker Heights, between 1985 and 1990 – the murders of Phillip and Dorothy Porter, and the murder of Lisa Pruett. He told the mother of his child that he was breaking into homes the night of…
On the day of Lisa Pruett’s murder, Shaker Heights police made plaster casts of shoe prints found at the crime scene. Described as “herringbone soles,” police were unable to find a match by comparing shoes owned by Kevin Young and Dan Dreifort. Last week, I was finally able to locate photos of the casts, which…
The day after Lisa Pruett’s murder, a young man named David Branagan stopped by the Shaker Heights police department to share what he knew about the crime. By the time he was done, he’d managed to place himself at the scene of the crime near the time of the murder, got caught in a lie…
Over the last several months, I’ve been reviewing thousands of pages of documents related to the unsolved murder of Lisa Pruett, the subject of my next book. One name that has appeared in police reports is David Branagan. Branagan was a couple years older than Lisa Pruett and her classmates. He attended Shaker Heights High…
10 days after Lisa Pruett’s murder, an anonymous tipster called into police to report what he knew about the crime. However, he apparently hung up before relaying his info to a detective. I would very much like to speak with this person. If you have any information relative to this crime, please email me at…
Just before 1 a.m. on September 14, 1990, Dan Dreifort called 911 to report that his girlfriend, Lisa Pruett, may have been kidnapped from the corner of Lee and South Woodland in Shaker Heights. This call sets in motion an unsolved mystery that is now 30 years old. Though I’ve reported on this case for…
I am currently finishing a new true crime book about the murder of Lisa Pruett. I would love to speak to anyone who knew her, personally. Please email me directly at jameswrenner@gmail.com Also, if you have information about the murder or the person or people involved, you can send me an anonymous message or tip…
The popular true crime podcast, True Crime Garage, has released a special six-part series on the Lisa Pruett case. It places the listener beside the detectives as they investigate the crime. LISTEN HERE!
Please enjoy the first season of my new podcast, The Philosophy of Crime. I discuss Lisa Pruett’s case in Episode 3.