KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. — Brandon Rosecrans, 27, was found with an apparent gunshot wound on May 18.

Kimberling City man, soldier, found dead in Texas

Parents of Brandon, Thomas and Kristi Berg, talk about their son Brandon who graduated from Blue Eye High School. They are still in the grieving process, but they want their son not to be remembered as a victim, but as the bright light he was.

“Brandon needs to be remembered for the fun, and the jovial, the funniest,” Thomas said. “The running around, and then staying up all night on the phones, just the things that kids don’t do anymore.”

About 48 hours after Brandon was shot to death nine hours away from home, his parents, Thomas and Kristi, were outside their home when they met two men in uniform, asking for directions.

“We found out that they wanted to speak to us,” Thomas said. “It turned out that somebody took his life, on Monday the 18 in Killeen, Texas. He was stationed down there. For that to be taken away four days before his 28th birthday, was probably the worst thing a parent could ever see or ever hear.”

The Berg’s were told that Brandon’s Jeep was found on fire in a different location than his body. The parents have been in close contact with the Army, and the lead detective working the case, which they are very grateful for.

“She is feeling very positive about the case, we just don’t have anything else for it,” Thomas said. “Other than that, my son was just a good kid. He did things like every other kid did. He made his mom and dad mad, but not as much as he made us proud.”

Thomas says one of their proudest moments was the day they found out Brandon wanted to join the Army. Having dealt with ADD and ADHD growing up, they say he graduated from boot camp a changed man.

“He was such a gentleman,” Thomas said. “He always spoke to people, ‘Mr. Tom’ or ‘Mrs. Betty’ or what have you. But when he came out of the Army, he knew what side to walk on for a woman. He knew how to address a person. He knew how to handle conversations, and it seemed the ADD just slipped away.”

The parents want Brandon’s memory to be his sweet soul as a son, brother, uncle, and friend. They will lay him to rest next week when his body is returned home. But after that, they plan to see that their son’s killer is caught.

“My son will get justice. I will see to that. If it takes my last breath,” Thomas said.

The visitation for Brandon Rosecrans will be on Monday night, June 1, 2020, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Stumpff Funeral Home in Kimberling City. His funeral will be the next day, Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at Baptist Church of Kimberling City followed by full military honors upon burial at Philibert Cemetery.

Below you can watch the full unedited interview with Thomas and Kristie Berg: