BYU Graduate Vanishes While Visiting Dropout Friend

It's a crisp fall morning in Rome, Georgia, when a police officer patrolling the area near Heritage Park spots something strange. A car hanging over the edge of an embankment, its front end submerged in the low waters of a creek. Responding officers tracked down the owner of the car, Randy Davis. He tells them his son, 21-year-old Aaron William Davis, was the last person to drive the car, but Aaron isn't in it. Two days ago Aaron had set out on a road trip from his home in coming Georgia to Alabama to visit his girlfriend, but planned to stop in Rome first to visit an old friend from high school, 21-year-old Brandon Reisner. Brandon and Aaron also attended the same college, although Brandon dropped out after the first semester due to struggles with his mental health. Aaron's father, Randy, tells police he has not been able to reach Aaron since yesterday, and now that his car has been found without Aaron inside, he's worried. He officially reports Aaron missing. Police now have to find Aaron, and their first stop is where Aaron was supposed to be, at Brandon Reisner's place. Hey, what's going on? Officers tracked down Brandon Reisner at the home he shares with his parents. They're hoping to narrow down Aaron's last known movements, Brandon appears to be home alone. Aaron, you're drinking around 12 yesterday? Brandon repeatedly emphasizes his friend's inebriated state, and he also wants police to know about an injury to his hand, which he brings up completely unprompted. So far, police don't have any reason to suspect foul play, and Brandon doesn't seem to have anything to hide. Inside the Reisner home, nothing appears out of place, but one thing does catch the eye of the officer carrying out the search. Sorry, Brandon, I know I'm asking you a lot of questions, I have one more question. Is there anywhere in the house that you don't regularly go to? Brandon says he rarely goes in the upstairs bedroom, he says Aaron slept there last night. The bathroom is up there that he was checking in, I got you. After making his way up the narrow staircase, the officer looks around the room. The sheets have been stripped off the bed, and there are cleaning supplies and a vacuum scattered about. But there's something off about this scene, the officer calls his partner up to see for himself. There's a significant amount of blood next to the bed, decent, more than just vomit. All the way over here, it looks like it's been there a while, but you could have been thrown up blood, I guess. It looks like it, too. See all that? We're going to be throwing up blood like that. I want to mention, if you had alcohol poisoning, you would have been able to get up and move up. The amount of blood found in the upstairs bedroom is suspicious, the officers leave the attic room hoping to avoid contaminating what might now be a crime scene. As the officers continue to search the home, Brandon Reisener makes a sudden and surprising sound. Where's your last time, 47? This best last scene area, Laporte and Colin Wood, dark colored shirt, and red tips. If you want to run out this way, would you happen to see anyone run by your house this way? Okay, if you see a lanky kid, we're in a dark shirt call, okay? Sure will. All right, thank you. As investigators converge on the scene, the responding officer explains the grim situation. I went upstairs, found on the blood, called him upstairs with me. We came back downstairs and he took off. I got bad out of the hill. Yeah, he was washing the sheets. I think it heard me when I said the sheets were in the dryer and that's when he took off. I didn't even see him run. He's got to be hiding behind someone's house for a car or something, he's still around. He's not really familiar with the area, so he's pretty new for my understanding. As police canvass the neighborhood in search of Brandon, a neighbor manages to get in in touch with Brandon's father, Jeremy Reisner, who has been out of town. Hey, sir, I'm the kid at the sight of their chrome police. Hi, I'm Jeremy Reisner, the homeowner, and my Brandon's brother. Yeah, we're probably going to need to talk to Brandon, do you know where he is? Oh, I thought he was still at home. Now, earlier, we had told him he'd be driving around the areas where they normally hang out and try to look for him for error. We'll keep trying to get hold of him. We're still about an hour away, working our way there. Eventually, Jeremy arrives on scene and briefly speaks to police, but he is adamant that he doesn't know where Brandon is. Night falls with still no sign of Brandon. Jeremy Reisner returns to the house to ask police for more information, with Brandon's cell phone in hand. I think it's possible, was there a broken one somewhere on that side as well and I must have had that one. All right, I'll take that one. Do you have a warrant that would include the phone? No, we'd have to get one example of this. We could go and do it without that. I've worked through it. I've mixed out the gasoline there from here and, yeah, some sex back and forth. I think there's something else in there. I can't keep my hands shut. No, I know. I was in here. I want to go to heaven. All right. Well, yeah, I'm going to keep going. Jeremy tells Law enforcement he and his wife found the phone while they were out looking for Brandon, but he refuses to hand the phone over without a warrant, sparking suspicion that he knows more than he's letting on. How did that handle this phone? He said he found it. Yeah, he said he found it. He was talking to his wife on the phone, his wife was looking over near St. Mary's and all that, so maybe they'd end up with her kid. I don't know. Yeah, who finds the phone, like, just, yeah, even if you have found the iPhone, that's not that exact where he's at. I also didn't appear to have a shattered screen, which means it probably doesn't fall on his run. Still in the grass. Dad ain't giving up his son, where he's at. He doesn't know. I don't know. Nothing like that. I don't know. I don't know. I think he's covering for him. It's pretty straightforward, except for where's the victim and where's the murderer? Where's the. where's the suspect? At least one of these questions is answered hours later, when Brandon Reisner shows up at the police station, along with his father Jeremy and stepmother Rachel, to turn himself in. Um, Rachel, Jeremy, I'm joking I have a seat out here. I'm gonna take him back there and we'll talk and then you have some questions. Would you like to talk in private? Okay. But I'll be back, he's just gonna be okay. All right, if y'all just have a seat, I'll be right back out with you, okay? Brandon is taken to an interrogation room where investigators are anxious to hear what he has to say. Before you're asking a question, you must understand your rats. You have the rat to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against your own court. If the rats talk to a lawyer for advice before you are asked questions and have him with you, give him a question. Though Brandon won't talk, police are able to hold him on obstruction charges since he ran from the scene following the discovery of the bloody bedsheets. Meanwhile, Brandon's father and stepmother are sharing their side of the story. So, I call from Brandon this morning. I had a check and I was asked to go out and find out what I was going to call him. So, they have ran. He didn't want to have it like now as well as the search and the coercion. That's how we urgently power to go spy. Or his mom calls us, "No, right, hold him. Brandon, back up. We need him. We haven't got him yet. We're set on. He know we're narrowing this. This is how we get out of our father and we were told we're narrowing it. We're out of our way and we're running rats. We don't know what we're going to do. This is mentally understandable. The rest of us, since we're kidnapped, diagnosed as a kid. And with that, I'm supposed to be getting people to say they don't understand until they live with that. Brandon, we're vulnerable from a village because he's having anxiety attacks. He's having mental problems, who is having visions. We're vulnerable, and we're making it safe. That's how it gets medication, sorry. Jeremy Reisner shares more crucial information with police. Well, going on, right now. I don't think that we can do that. Go out now. I can take you out. I can try to show you. You can go and show us the general area. There's an old cemetery, a building, a treadmill, a treadmill, something like a treadmill, and I can wait and show you all my life. After their discussion with Jeremy Reisner, investigators are able to locate Aaron's body, which has been buried in a shallow grave in an old cemetery. Alright, Brandon. I thought you earlier you were being hailed for the attraction. We ran from the officers earlier. Now you're going to be charged with murder. I aggravated the assault, the extraction, and hindering the investigation. Murder. Like John. Like stuff. Brandon has no reaction to the news that he is being charged with the murder of his close friend, Aaron Davis. He's taken to jail and booked. It will be over a year and a half before he appears in court to respond to the charges against him. In all, Brandon Reisner faces 12 charges. In addition to malice murder and two counts of felony murder and aggravated assault, he is charged with aggravated battery, concealing the death of another, abandonment of a dead body, theft by taking, removal of body parts from the scene of a death, tampering with evidence, and obstruction of an officer. In June of 2024, Brandon Reisner arrives at his plea hearing, and he's no longer the Lanky 21-year-old who ran from police. Aaron William Davis was 21 years old, but he was brutally murdered by the defendant. Between November 11th and 12th of 2022, at his parents' residence, off of Cullingwood Drive, here in Boyd County, Brandon Christopher Reisner did make an assault upon the person of Aaron William Davis with a blade-like object with the intent to murder and with malice, by stabbing him repeatedly in the head, neck, torso, and extremities, causing disfigurement, and ultimately causing Aaron's death. Then, to cover up his crimes, the defendant attempted to dismember the body, and in doing so, removed a portion of the small intestines, which was never recovered. Ultimately, he transported Aaron's body to a wooded area, and he buried Aaron in an unmarked grave underneath the fallen tree and group bowl. The judge accepts the plea, and Aaron Davis's loved ones can take comfort in the knowledge that his killer has admitted to the crime. But they will have to wait another month to learn Brandon Reisner's fate, and to speak out in court about the pain he has caused. We're here this afternoon for Senate saying in the case of State of Georgia versus Brandon Reisner, Mr. Reisner, entered a plea of guilty on June 20th, 2024. The state is seeking a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, so the prosecutor lays out the facts of the case before the judge, emphasizing the extreme brutality of the defendant's actions, as well as his shocking motive. First, this was premeditated. This was not a random act of violence or a random occurrence. This is something that the defendant had been thinking about since at least early fall. He had taken edibles and witnessed a prophecy where he felt that God was telling him that he had to either kill his best friend or have sex with his stepmother, and so he thought there would be less self-pleasure in killing Aaron. So Aaron called the defendant that day to say that he was coming into town, and when the defendant got that call, he thought it was a sign of his destiny because his parents were out of town, and so Aaron would be alone with him at the house. Brandon underwent psychiatric evaluations following his arrest to determine his mental state at the time of the crime. During these evaluations, he recounted his memories of the murder. I don't remember a single thought. I knew what I had to do. I was a man with a plan. I got up on the roof and stopped to my prey. I became a carnal animal like in a dream. I saw that he was laying on the bed in there. I hid behind the pillow for a second to make sure that he didn't see. And the defendant reported that he started feeling emotion for the first time as he was killing Aaron, but then he later says the only emotion I felt was surprised that I could have done it or that I could have changed my reality so drastically by doing one move. These are his words about how he felt as he was killing his best friend. paints a picture of a killer who knew what he was doing was wrong and did it anyway. He also described the steps he took to cover up the crime. He does go to Walmart by 6 p.m. that evening, where he purchases the duct tape. And we know that the duct tape was used to wrap Aaron's body. And then after Nightfell, he began scattering evidence in different random dumpsters around Rome. He went to the wooded area off of Tungland Drive in order to bury Aaron where he wouldn't be found. Saturday morning, he begins his campaign of lies and cover up, where he starts telling multiple people that Aaron had left in the middle of the night. These are all calculated steps by him that show he knew exactly what he had done was wrong. And he was taking careful steps in order to avoid detection and thus avoid any sort of responsibility for his actions. As evidence of premeditation, the prosecutor reads some of Brandon's internet searches from both before and after the murder. November 11th, Friday. At this point, Aaron is dead. The defendant has already killed Aaron. And he is searching over and over for sheets and blankets. More than 20 searches for sheets and blankets. What he's trying to do is find a replacement for the sheets and blanket that Aaron is ultimately going to be buried in. He's trying to find a replacement set so that the bedroom will appear unchanged and again to cover up his crime. These are his searches on that day continued. And I'll highlight just a few of them. Professionals stain remover. Does Walmart have duct tape, schizophrenia symptoms, hydrochloric acid, best secluded locations, how to drain washing machine, and more searches for the sheets and blanket. And all of these indicate that he is trying to cover up his crime. And so on Saturday, November 12th, he's still looking up carpet cleaning crew, also water damage restoration, and a company called Chattanooga Blood Spill Cleanup, and how to clean blood out of carpet. In the days leading up to this, he had some interesting internet searches as well. One of those was one flew over the Cuckoo's Nest book. It's a famous book, but the premise is that the person is going to be convicted of a serious crime. And so they feign insanity in order to go to a mental institution instead of prison. He also looks up multiple times ten tips for dealing with guilt. Following the murder, Brandon also made a to-do list. When I get home, schedule last three songs, that is a reference to his YouTube channel where he did post music. He wrote quite a few songs and performed them and had some of them on a YouTube channel. Number two vacuum, number three laundry, number four shower in my shower. That's important because Aaron was dismembered in the guest shower, so he is making a reminder to himself to shower in his own shower and not the shower he used to attempt to dismember his best friend's body. He also says to take a bath, so again, a preoccupation with cleaning, possibly to try to remove evidence that may still be on his body. And again, vacuum and laundry, these are related again to his attempt to cover up. But then he also makes a written reminder to basically create an alibi defense via text to his stepmother, Rachel, by saying text Rachel that Aaron threw up horribly, I think there was some blood in it, I woke up and he was gone. The first item on Brandon's to-do list, referencing his music, offers more insight into Brandon's memory of Aaron's murder. This appears to be some of his lyrics for a song. And the ones I want to highlight are right here. He screamed till he choked on his own tongue and blood. His scream became agarable as he swallowed his tongue. I believe the defendant is describing Aaron's death. Brandon had also written songs prior to the murder. The prosecution argues these are evidence of his lack of remorse. It doesn't matter what you do, go kill someone, go love someone, you can't plan the future, God decided it for you. It's fine to think that I'm just a little toy. And if these are indicative of his philosophy, that is a dangerous philosophy. It is one that shirks all accountability. It's during this sentencing hearing where Aaron Davis's parents and girlfriend are given the opportunity to tell the judge about the loss they have suffered at the hands of Brandon Reisner. Aaron Davis was and is the love of my life. I will never be the same for having known him. He loved me and I loved him. I could tell you 100 love stories and it would not do justice to how wonderful he was. We had so many plans for our future and the life we were building together. We wanted a wedding where both of our families could be together to celebrate. To be there for our first dance, we wanted to be married for time and eternity. But because of a man he called his best friend, who surely would have been one of his groomsman, Aaron and I will never have these opportunities. I've cooked and served Brandon thousands of dinners at my house over the years. And he slept over at my house many, many times. He seemed to spend more time at my house than his own. Brandon stole Aaron's life by murdering him and broke our hearts and devastated our lives. I have cried every day for a year and a half. I've had a hard time sleeping since Aaron's murder. And when I do, I have nightmares of Aaron being stabbed to death. Brandon stabbed Aaron to death. He also stabbed Randy, Luke, Urlai, Phoebe, and Micah and I in the heart. He ripped our hearts out. We have been so devastated by the evil actions of Brandon. How can we go on trusting anyone fully after witnessing what someone, someone that we have trusted so much, brutally murdered and eviscerated my son? The psychological scars from betrayal from one who we treated like a son or brother is irreparable. Every time I hear my son, Micah referred to murdering an opponent in a video game, I feel pain. I work with elderly people at an assistant living center now who are naturally conversational when discussing, always asking me, "How many children do you have?" Instead of answering five, which is correct, I usually have to answer four because I don't want to get into that with them. I don't need to burden them with what's going on in my life. But it's a challenge for me. I will never fully understand what led to this, but I know that I can never recommend that Mr. Rise to be allowed to be free anymore. I do believe in both justice and mercy. I believe that justice can be best satisfied as Anne will not be coming back. It would be the best justice we for the defendant never to be allowed of custody again. I do hope that he can find mercy with God and seek help while in custody to be able to plead with God for his mercy at the appropriate time. Brandon's parents say they too have suffered from their son's actions, but they each approach the judge to advocate for Brandon. I realize that most people in this room are not of steveys. I see him in the river, in the sea, in the sea and what they're going to see, what they don't see. What they'll never see is the joy that he brought into her life the day he was born. He's a kind, a gentle person who never showed a sign of violence in his life. He showed nothing but kindness. We firmly believe that Brandon's actions were not the result of malice. Rather, the combination of the mental health conditions were committed to ensuring that he receives the ongoing treatment and support he needs to manage his illnesses. We ask for your compassion and understanding in recognizing the profound impact his mental health had on his behavior. I am Brandon's mom, and I'd like to start by saying, "How sorry I am for Davis's loss." And I carry their grief with me every day. I don't know what helped that tragic night. I still have a hard time believing that Brandon could do this. I talk to him several times a week, and all I see is the same way I know in love. The only way that I can reconcile this horrific act with my son is by acknowledging that Brandon suffers from severe mental breaks. That knowledge is the only thing that allows me to recognize that Brandon is where he needs to be for now. His actions cause devastating sorrow for the Davis family, and he will pay the price for those actions. I ask that you consider granting him hope for a future outside of personals someday, so that you made one. And they returned to the family that loves him, and cares for him. I ask for your understanding, and most of all, I ask for hope." Following victim impact statements, the judge calls for a short break while he considers Brandon Reisner's sentence, "Is rehabilitation possible, or does Brandon deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison, with no hope of seeing the outside world again?" I have considered all of the facts and circumstances of this case and councils arguments, and I have come to the conclusion that justice requires that Mr. Reisner be sentenced on count one to imprisonment for life without parole, and that's what I'm going to do. And that's based upon the premeditation, the manner of death, and the efforts to cover up all of the acts. Brandon Reisner's fate is now sealed. After delivering his decision, the judge addresses the courtroom for the last time. Both of these young men have been loved throughout their lives, and I know all of you are experiencing tremendous pain, including the Reisner family, but the pain of Aaron's family far exceeds that. To have a young son brutally murdered is unfathomable. Brandon Reisner will spend the rest of his days behind bars, justice has been delivered for Aaron Davis' family, but nothing can bring back their son and brother. In her eulogy for her son, Aaron's mother said, "Aaron, you are so loved. You are so missed and will always be missed. We don't want to go on without you. We will miss Aaron immensely. We treasure the time we had to enjoy his presence on this earth."