 Brianna Kinnear wasn't someone that you would expect to become a victim of a violent crime. In fact, according to investigators and the evidence provided by her mother, Brianna is the last person you would expect to be caught up in such a horrendous cold case. See, Brianna grew up as one of the popular girls in her school, but immediately after graduating, well, things took a down return. Before she knew it, Brianna had become caught up in the dark underworld of organized crime. It started off as a simple, easy way to make money, but by the time Brianna turned around, she was far deeper than she could have ever imagined. Detectives are still debating why Brianna lost her life that day, but the truth of this crime may be a bit more obvious than police are willing to admit. Brianna Kinnear wasn't your average teenager. According to Brianna's mother, she was always one of the more popular kids in school, far from average. We don't know too much about her younger years, but we know that by the time Brianna made it to high school, she was doing incredibly well for herself. This was in the early 2000s, between 2003 and 2005. Brianna never really got into any trouble during school. She always kept her nose clean and made sure to get all of her schoolwork done to the best of her ability. Brianna was known for her remarkable soccer skills all throughout high school, and she was one of the star players on her team. It seemed that if she were able to maintain this momentum and skill, she would be well on her way to getting a great scholarship towards a college education. There's been no word on whether or not her time playing soccer paid off, but as her high school years were coming to an end, Brianna announced that she wanted to get a further education by studying to become an esthetician, or a makeup artist. These two jobs go hand in hand to a certain extent. Her mother recalled Brianna around this time as being incredibly warm-hearted and loved by nearly everyone, so pursuing a job as a personal makeup artist would certainly have been a great path for her. But no sooner than Brianna started making arrangements for her future, things started to change. See, for her final year in high school, Brianna attended Coquitlam's Terry Fox Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada. It was here that she met her first long-term boyfriend, Jesse Margeson. The two met through mutual friends, but Jesse had a reputation for being a, well, less than desirable person. Brianna's mother, Carol, knew Jesse's history all too well. As soon as Brianna announced that the two were friends, her mother began to warn her to stay away from him. The thing about Jesse is that he was always involved with all sorts of nefarious people, carrying out pretty much any kind of illegal activity you could think of. Crazy enough when he and Brianna first met, Jesse was actually hiding out from the police, avoiding arrest. Brianna encouraged Jesse to turn himself in so that he could do his time, clear his name, and move on with his life. But as we all know, this was never going to happen. Once you become involved with people like this, there's only one way out, and it certainly doesn't involve the police. At first, Brianna and Jesse were nothing more than friends. But for those closest to them, it became quite clear that Brianna was looking for much more, and so was Jesse. It didn't take the two very long at all before their relationship started to heat up, and before long, they had announced that they were officially dating. For Carol, Brianna's mother, this was pretty much the worst news she'd ever heard. She knew how dangerous Jesse was, and she knew how impressionable Brianna was. To hear that the two were now so close was devastating. But I'm sure we all know that a parent's words mean virtually nothing to a teenager who's in love. Carol was willing to do anything within her power to keep Brianna away from Jesse, and her first attempt at this was to go to the police and request a restraining order against him. But unfortunately, there was nothing the police could do. Rather obviously, Jesse had committed no crimes that targeted Carol or Brianna. This meant that they had no legal ground to stand on when it came to requesting a restraining order. In the words of the police, if Brianna willingly invited Jesse into Carol's home, there was nothing that they could do. Unfortunately, while Carol sought this restraining order as a way to help protect her daughter, the effects of this may have only made things worse. Brianna knew that her mother didn't like Jesse. She made this much as obvious as she possibly could, hoping her daughter would see the light and break up with him. But as you probably came to expect, her mother's efforts had the opposite effect. Her actions only drove Brianna closer to Jesse and would eventually lead to her moving out when she was just 19 years old, with the sole purpose of continuing her relationship far away from her mother's eyes. It was right around 2005. Brianna was just 19 years old when she moved out of her mother's home, presumably moving in with her boyfriend Jesse, but this is just a guess. I haven't been able to confirm this. As it would turn out, the media coverage of Brianna's case was shockingly minimal, but there is a reason for this that we'll get to in just a moment. But no sooner than Brianna moved out, her mother noticed that she started having larger amounts of money around. It started off with Brianna having money to eat out at restaurants. Prior to this, Brianna and her mother did well enough, but they certainly weren't eating out multiple times a week. Carol says that it was at this point that she began to suspect that both Brianna and Brianna's best friend Tiffany Bryan had been convinced by Jesse and his crew to become part of the illegal trafficking trade that was running rampant through the area at the time. Having grown up in Coquitlam, Brianna had been exposed to organized crime for most of her life. This isn't to say that either she or her family were involved in it, but rather it was an issue in the area that was only getting worse as time grew on. Coquitlam is only about a 35 minute drive from Vancouver. Not going to pretend to know too much about the state of Vancouver around this time, but it's become common knowledge in more recent years that Vancouver, and really most of British Columbia, was in a pretty bad place in the mid to late 2000s. This is because organized crime was running rampant through the streets, and people were losing their lives each and every day. That's because beginning around 2007, building up to 2009, Vancouver was caught up in the middle of one of the most high-profile gang wars in modern times. Due to restrictions that had been put in place by the Mexican government around this time, illegal goods were becoming harder and harder to come by on the streets of Vancouver. Now, this was true pretty much everywhere across Canada and the United States, but it was particularly bad in Vancouver. This caused tensions to become incredibly high between the various gangs that had set up shop in the area. Between late 2007 and early 2009, dozens and dozens of gang members lost their lives due to increased tension and violence between these various groups. Unfortunately for Breanna Kenyer, her boyfriend Jesse was a member of one of these gangs. Now, I mentioned a moment ago that Breanna's case didn't get much media attention, and the reason for that is because she was so closely related with all of this gang activity. In fact, when her case did make the news, most people just wrote her off as yet another junkie who had it coming, but this simply wasn't true. Though this did mean that her media coverage was incredibly minimal, and most people forgot about her case as quickly as they learned of it. The thing we don't know is whether or not Jesse had malicious intentions when he recruited both Breanna and her friend Tiffany into his dealings. I'd like to think that he didn't. I'd like to think that he was simply a guy that was caught up with all the wrong people and didn't realize just how dangerous the situation really was, but I think we both know that this is just wishful thinking. Carol first noticed how bad things had gotten when Breanna suddenly had money coming from everywhere. In fact, she and her new group of friends even made a trip to Mexico during this time, even though they knew all of the obvious dangers related to all of these gangs. They took a vacation straight into the eye of the store. When Carol would ask Breanna where she was getting this money for all these trips and items, she would make up stories about low-paying jobs, but her mother would see through these lies each and every time. But there was virtually nothing she could do to keep her daughter safe. All she could do was hope for the best. Carol says that despite all of this new money, Breanna continued to pursue her goal of becoming an esthetician or a makeup artist. She continued paying for classes and was even offered a position as an instructor. But as her gang relations started to grow, her ability to study for her classes began to dwindle and she just couldn't keep up with them anymore. She started missing classes, giving up on great opportunities, and instead continued to dive head first into the world of organized crime. When speaking about Jesse Margeson, Carol says that she remembers Jesse as always being a bit of a loner. She remembers that he had a terrible upbringing, but didn't dive into anything specifically other than he was more or less abandoned by his parents and forced to raise himself. She mentioned that Jesse was always getting into trouble and believes that Breanna was drawn to Jesse because she believed she could fix him or help him in some way. But she also admitted that it could have been the bad boy lifestyle that seemed appealing to Breanna after living as a good girl for such a long time, but the truth is we just don't know. Carol says that Breanna always kept her eyes open looking for a way out, but the problem is that the lore of the money was just too much to turn away from. When she would speak with Breanna about getting out of the business, she says that Breanna would always have an excuse, such as once I make X amount of money, then I'll get out, but this amount of money would always increase and it was simply never enough. Regardless of this, Breanna's mother continued to invite Jesse to family dinners and get-togethers. She didn't do this for Jesse's sake, but rather so that her daughter knew that she would be there for her when things fell apart and she knew they eventually would. She just couldn't have ever anticipated how quickly things would go wrong. It started with Jesse being unfaithful to Breanna. Carol says that she knew that Jesse was sneaking around, but she also knew that this was simply part of the lifestyle. Jesse felt that he was above everything and everyone, including the law and his own girlfriend. Carol knew that Breanna was being mistreated, but Breanna simply wasn't willing to listen to reason, so what else could she do? But that's when things started getting far, far worse. Breanna's demeanor began to change. She was always known for being a pretty happy and outgoing girl, but all of a sudden there was a shift. She used to be confident, unafraid, powerful, but now she seemed to jump at every shadow. She was always watching her back. Carol says that she really noticed how bad things had gotten when Breanna started keeping the curtains closed 24-7, even on a beautiful sunny day. When Carol questioned her daughter about why she was being so secretive and acting as if she was hiding away in her own home, Breanna revealed something terrifying. She said, Mom, they can't know where we live. By 2007, Breanna Kenner had reached an all-time low. There was a raid at her apartment and she was arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. Along with these charges against her, charges were also placed against Tiffany as well as Jesse. To say that Breanna was distraught about this would be a serious understatement. Breanna insisted that Jesse was willing to take all the blame for the situation. After all, he was the one to blame. Supposedly Breanna played no part in the collection or dispersal of these illegal goods, but unfortunately her name was attached to the lease of the apartment where all of it was found. She was determined to have been an accomplice. It would also later come to light that detectives believed Breanna was, in fact, involved in the dispersal of these goods. She was just as guilty as Jesse in their eyes. Carol says that for Breanna, this was the beginning of the end. Her life as she knew it was over. She always had dreams of leaving the country and seeing the various sites in America and across the globe, but now she was a felon so she couldn't even leave the country. It wasn't too long after this when Jesse became caught up in a string of violence and was hit by several rounds during an altercation, nearly losing his life. Thankfully, it doesn't appear that Breanna was present for all of this. The doctors say that it was a miracle that Jesse even survived to make it to the hospital, and in the end, he would make a full recovery. For Breanna, this situation was a bit of a wake-up call. The only problem was, regardless of how woke Breanna got, there was no exit. There was no way out. By this point, she knew too much and had too many rivals who knew who she was. There was no escape. Thankfully, around this same time, Breanna did eventually leave Jesse, but as is true with many people who are in abusive relationships, she went right back to him within a matter of weeks. Worse yet, around this same time, Breanna started using the same substances she was selling, so adding an addiction into the mix certainly didn't make her situation any better. It's likely that she went back to him not only because she missed him, but also because she needed her next fix, and he was the main person who could provide that for her. After many more months passed by, Breanna finally made the decision to leave Jesse once and for all. She even packed up all of her things and moved to a new address that only her close family knew about. But Jesse wasn't willing to give it up. He was actually in prison at this point for one of the countless crimes he had committed. He and Breanna would write letters back and forth all the time, but in late 2008 or early 2009, Breanna wrote him one final letter in which she broke up with him for good. But from behind prison walls, Jesse had Breanna stalked by one of the members of his gang, and he found out about her new address almost immediately, bringing Breanna right back into the thick of it. And that brings us to February of 2009. Breanna had been driving around the Coquitlam area in a residential neighborhood. She'd been driving a truck that she had borrowed from her friend Tiffany, who had also been deeply involved in the illegal trafficking trade. And that's when everything went wrong. How exactly the situation played out has never been determined. Best I can tell, there were no witnesses or at least none that were willing to come forward. But Breanna was found around 7pm on February 5th, 2009, after she'd pulled over and parked the truck on Oxford Street, just south of Mason. When she was spotted by police who were conducting routine rounds, she was already slumped over in the driver's seat, and the window on that side of the truck had been shattered. She'd been struck by a single round and lost her life within moments, and no one had witnessed a thing. Just days prior to this, Breanna found out that she was expected to make a court appearance regarding her charges for trafficking illegal goods. But as is true with so many people in situations like this, Breanna wouldn't live to see her court date. She lost her life all alone in a borrowed vehicle on the dark streets of Coquitlam. The worst part is, we don't even know if she was the intended victim. A suspect has never been named in this case, and considering it was gang related, it's pretty much guaranteed that none ever will be named. In fact, it's likely that there wasn't even just one person involved that's likely there was a collective of people who needed to make sure that Breanna didn't reveal any secrets to the police when her court date rolled around. But the craziest thing about Breanna's case is that investigators believe it's entirely possible that Breanna lost her life due to a simple case of mistaken identity. Considering she was driving Tiffany's truck, many detectives believe that Tiffany may have actually been the target. It's never been revealed why Breanna was parked in that area on the night that she lost her life. But it has been confirmed that in Jesse's absence, Breanna was still actively dealing. It could be safely assumed that she was there to carry out a deal, but this has never been confirmed. As mentioned, Breanna was just one of three people who lost their lives on that very same day, all of whom were tied to various gangs in the area. According to my count, at least 41 people lost their lives between January of 2009 and July of 2009, all of whom were directly related to the business that Breanna had been involved in. Breanna was just one of the first victims of these gangs, but she was far from the last. In reality, we don't even know if she had any gang secrets worth sharing. It's highly possible that she lost her life that day for no reason at all, especially if she wasn't even the intended target. It's just tragic all the way around because Breanna knew how dangerous this lifestyle was. She was a very smart girl. She did really well in school and always stayed out of trouble. But for whatever reason, this Jesse guy had an almost supernatural hold on her and she was so blinded by her desire to be with the Jesse that everything else just fell by the wayside. If there's any silver lining to this story, it's that Breanna's friend Tiffany appears to have made it out alive. After Breanna lost her life in Tiffany's vehicle, it served as somewhat of a wake-up call and Tiffany was able to get out of the business at least as far as I can tell. After Breanna lost her life, I was able to confirm that Tiffany had found herself a more typical job and had held on to it for at least six to eight months. But after this, the trail of Tiffany basically runs cold. As for Jesse Margeson, well, he's a bit more difficult to track down. As of 2012, he was in jail awaiting trial when he was savagely beaten by a group of fellow inmates who, you guessed it, were likely members of a rival gang. They messed him up pretty badly, but get this, he was awarded $3 million in the aftermath, given to him by the British Columbia government. Jesse and one other inmate had been the victims of this assault and it was determined that the guards and prison officers didn't do their job to keep the two men safe, so the two were awarded very hefty settlement. But after about 2016, Jesse basically falls off the map. I'm not sure if he's still in jail, prison, or if he's a free man now living the high life with $3 million in the bank. After this settlement, no one ever mentioned him again. Unfortunately, it seems like the real victim in this entire situation, in my opinion, was Carol, Breanna's mother. Breanna rather obviously is no longer around to have to suffer the aftermath of everything that went down. Jesse is no longer in the picture, nor is Tiffany. Carol has basically been left behind to sift through the wreckage all on her own, but she's doing everything within her power, and I mean everything, to ensure that her daughter isn't forgotten. She's even taken it upon herself to reach out to other mothers who've been placed in similar situations to offer them help, support, and a shoulder to lean on. While Breanna may be gone, Carol is stopping at nothing to make sure that her memory will live on forever and be a light to those who feel hopelessly lost in the dark. Thankfully for Carol, she has no regrets about the way she handled things. She knows that she did everything within her power to keep her daughter safe, but her daughter still chose to make decisions that let her down one of the darkest pads you could imagine. One of the most heartbreaking statements that I've heard from Carol is that in the days leading up to her passing, Breanna asked her mother to provide her with a letter for the judge who was ruling over her case. This letter was basically a character statement meant to prove to the judge that Breanna wasn't a bad person. Carol refused to write the letter. When asked if she felt bad about this, Carol admitted that she did feel pretty bad. She also admitted that she wasn't ever going to lie to a judge and it was time for Breanna to face the music, so to speak. Carol says that she could not, with a clean conscience, write a letter to a judge and tell him or her that her daughter was a good, honest person when she knew wholeheartedly that it wasn't true. She admitted that her daughter had the opportunity to make the right move time and time again, but she made the wrong decision each and every time. She couldn't cover for her anymore and she was forced to admit that based on the decisions her daughter had made, she couldn't vouch for her anymore. Rather, obviously, knowing all of this doesn't change the pain and the devastation that Carol has been through. If there's any comfort to be found here, it's that Carol has made peace with things, at least as much as she can. There's a strange type of solace that comes from situations like this when you know that you've exhausted every avenue that you could have. While it doesn't bring anyone back, at the very least, it may offer some level of closure. Thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of True Crime Stories. If you enjoyed this video, check out this other interesting case I covered and don't forget to subscribe. It's totally free and keeps you up to date with all of my future videos. You can also click that join button below to support the channel and see new videos long before everyone else does. But, my name is Ty Nottz and I'll catch you guys in the next one.