In new orleans, twenty twelve bruce catch here, I drove to an address some one had given him that didn't exist ass, he stood in the park, what were the address should have been, he was shot and killed, I'm you d umbra join me for the newest season of counter clock. As I die, the motive behind bruces murder. a series of events that have never been fully investigated until now binge all fourteen episodes of or clock season. Five, wherever you listen to pod. Support for this programme comes from arkansas escape to natural state outdoor adventures to indoor attractions in just a few miles or a few minutes near it all, but faraway planted trip at arkansas dot com. the

The. Welcome to true crime garage wherever you are whatever you're doing, thanks for listening, I'm, your hosts, nick may, as always is a man gets more done before midnight than most do in a day. He is the captain as guess, I'm a real gilpin. To be seen of his good to see you thanks for listening. Thanks for in the

tonight. We are drinking blue mountain breweries, classic logger by the good people of blue mountain brewery and beautiful virginia garage, great four out of five bottle caps. If you are looking for a crisp clear lightly hopped longer than this baby is for you and it's fantastic beer was brought to us by first up. We have jesse and nick in nor well massachusetts synonyms beer. I see next week. gin and rick in Jacksonville Florida, also in florida, a shot out a bell key and homestead bulky bulky it's what I do when I drink too much beer, I vow key and the big show

I with a z and cali who and why weren't calculus, say hello to Alison from santa cruz, who says, keep it radical and keep it safe. It safe radical man in a big way that I killed each year by some merry and littleton colorado, and you know what we're under a lot of pressure. To release a jeer by like your jib shirt, I like to get it so if anybody out there fancies, themself him or herself an artist- and you know how to draw a jib send 'em our way. So we can so we can get the monkey the jib monkey off our back over it yeah you can send that to nick at true crime garage dot com or to the captain grand garage and what more shout out last but not least, actually how about just last, because this is from air and inform me marylin, who says, keep up the excellent work captain nick? Not so So I think it's a smart bet that some where's in fort mead

aaron, is running around wearing a team captain sure to which I say, take it off and burn it. Come to that Thank you to everybody, except for air and for filling up the fridge for this week show and if you want to buy us around for next week, show go to true crimes. Jack I'm and click on the donor bloody or I that's enough for the business but share gravel beer. Let's talk some true crime. the printed billing. Then found dead in his pickup truck. He had been shot to death and he was found around two thirty p m on October sixth, two thousand and two just a day after

His eighteenth birthday, the young man, was not known to have any enemies at all, nor thought to be involved in any criminal activity. Brands. Parents, kyle, sherry billings, still found themselves listening for the sound of and its pickup truck pulling in the driveway even month, or so after his death yeah, and there was something wear them the mother would be asleep and I should becoming have the sleep. She would think that she heard him talking gathered her. His parents had said it. have been easier if their son had died in a car accident or from something like cancer. That at least would be understandable, something that they could understand. What they could not understand is why somebody would kill Brandon. Sherry said: whoever did. This is a coward to shoot him from behind a coward. Then, in a coward. Now

not brave enough to admit what they have done. She and Kyle always believed that the killer with some one brand new, although not very well, they worried that the or might be, somebody that they had seen sense. The slang in the store or maybe on the street, someone that they had seen person, maybe up to like twenty times they say. did it Brandon was the type of person they would walk away from any type of trouble and he was nothing but a big gentle giant did did not deserve to die. You have it. Sometimes you can't walk away. Sometimes the fight comes to you and you have to defend yourself well, and that leaves us with a lot of questions as to why Brandon was in the area where he was found. Who would have came after him? he had no enemies. When you look at this from everything I tell from people he went to school with from his family and friends from people lived in the area seem no reason for him to be.

Any type of altercation that would have led to his death would have led to him being found. Shot to death vehicle yeah. But what were his mean? Do we have? the buddy that he was friends with that have any explanation why he was out that late or were possibly he was heading to we. We have no information regarding that and that's what's so confusing here with this case, why was he not heading home? Why was he by himself at three forty in the morning? Why was the sea bout cut? Why was the shirt placed above his head six months? brandons, death police still had no motive and no suspect the reward fund head

around two. Nearly fourteen thousand dollars remind remind you. This was one that friends and family had to put together themselves. They had to fund raise for this reward fun. The week before the senior class photo at brandons highschool brain its parents held a brief meeting with the senior class to thank them for being friends in both life and death, with Brandon the family Thank you cards and senior photos of brandon to each member of the graduating class and all of his football teammates. Each card contained a short message inside from the family. They said: Kind word for everyone: a stranger never met always a friendly, and shake on that. You can bet from the gentle giant And in billings number? Seventy nine? Thank you for being a friend to Brandon love the billings family. Brandons mother, Sherry gave a speech at this event

a pass along some of her words. She said that our Brandon should here among all of you, but due to some one who didn't think his life was worth living. He won't be here with us. Please be careful and know who your dearest friends are because brandons killer could have been someone, he knew very well. So I have the star the investigation and we have done autopsy. But where do we go from here? Well, this point leads us to about the one year anniversary of brandon's death and at this point in the investigation captain the police said. on record that they have about three or four individuals that they were caught and quote. Looking at the police were convinced that all it would take to solve. This crime is for one person to come forward, one person to the right thing more than that, the more than hard evidence. That would be. What would cracked the case when you hear the police say that they are looking for a tip

and they might have three or four individuals that they are quoting quote looking at it. That means that they got some people that that are on their radar. That they not ruled out, but they also don't didn't, have anything you right. That's why I basically it's a lot of words saying we have nothing, please some call and give us the nation that we need, thankfully, the family and friends were the ones that we are able to get together and put together this reward money. Maybe drum up somebody's. Like you said, you know you you're you're dirt bag. If you need money to call in the tipp better some people, sometimes they happen Five years later, while we're in a word, I have to keep ass for women. Have the fast forward to move along that? Are the laurin cause? There's a lot to cover here, but five years later, in october, two thousand and seven, the sheriff said, the case was not a daddy issue that they work on the case of brandon billings off

the time, in fact he says at this time. On the five year anniversary, we have one investigator that is correct we running down a tip right now, every call that comes through in every tipp that has been called in. We run and we worked very hard to the end. while the billings family held an event at up at a local park there and brands sherry called this, her sons birthday in Heaven celebration. This, of course, was a very nice to do, but the other thing here is the billings family is also using small moment, to point out some things that have bothered there. regarding the investigation into their sons, death and the years it's Brandon's death. His parents hope that the case would be solved you know where their hope was had now turned to frustration with the sheriffs apartment and its handling of the investigation

at the event sherry pointed out that she would endorse the man running against the current sheriff and the upcoming elections talking to the local newspaper sherry, was quick to point out her endorsement and talking to the crowd there. She said something's, not right folks. We have to suffer it every day, maybe because of mistakes that the sheriffs department has me in responding to this. The sheriff told the local media that his department had investigated the killing to the best of its ability, pointing out that they had two investigators, all of the sheriff's office, three special agents from the state police and all agencies in surrounding cities and counties this in the case early on. So there was no shortage of people working this case as far as the sheriffs concern

Yeah but then the rumor mills start in this small town, because you have no leads. Basically, you have you a sheriff's department that you feel as inadequate were or why aren't they solve, and this- and this is kind of one- this small town starts talking about the conspiracy of maybe Brandon. I stumbled upon something here wasn't supposed to, and maybe this was done by the hands of the law wealth gary billings felt that the f b I should have been called in to help with the case. In response to this, the sheriff stated that the f b, I does not investigate murders, he talked to them and they did offer any assistance in lab work and things like that. Now in november of two thousand and seven after the election, there was a new sheriff in town and Long with that the new position did he Did he also inherited the branded billings murder investigation? Will? Others new sheriff in town. So what's he gonna do with it?

you know what the other thing I want to point out here to captain is others new sheriff in town? Is you know what happened? With these parents, win win their son or daughters taken from them are killed and there in the cases not solved, but they get interviewed. By that you know, the newspapers come calling the local, News media comes calling around the anniversary every year and wants to get their reaction to why the cases and solved. How do you feel about this? You know your beer, poor son, your poor daughter, and then we have these poor people. The billings family that have to re lived this with phone calls, but they also have the added the added anguish of they have their sons birthday.

and then the following day is the anniversary of his death, and that you know that's gotta, hit them extremely hard. Every fall every year, one yeah not to mention all the football games for that you're gonna. Think about your son. Did I dont know if there's any weight to the conspiracy here yeah, I dont. Really. I couldn't get any information as to how that tied in. I really feel like it's just a rumour situation, where we just have a seat We should because there was no leads, because there doesn't, that investigation seem be going nowhere that you're almost left with that conclusion. At some point, while one of the things that we talked about was his seatbelt was cut, never seen that ever before and a crime that I know of right person, seat belt being cut like that, doesn't make a lot of sense at all. But then we brought up a point that the e m t was their first well. Let's think about this and you

a good point because, like you and I discussed with the seat belt and the confusing way that the crime scene itself is described to us and media reports, there's a couple things it I'm thinkin of here. One we we may have a situation where, like you said, the empty could have cut that seat belt or number it yourselves situation, and no, that the officer said that when he arrived, the first responding officer said there when he got there, the he was already there right. We also see wherein later evidence possible avenue evidence is trampled over with the footprint near the vehicle bright witches? yes, yes, it makes you wonder, hated e m t cut that seat belt and it actually has nothing to do with the crime itself had just wasn't reported back to the police officers ray Ah, he work, though the other thing that I want to think about. Two is, if you have any leads, and you can

fine, the murder weapon. You have to bought a lot of that stuff at the crime scene secret to yourself. You have to hold that to yourself, because there might be things about specific details about that crime scene that may be only the killer would know Some of those things already came out in the media. That the wall. It was missing. We know that I d was thrown in the water. Those things already out. So that's why I think we had this other information, that's kind of reported, lucy, goosey a way that they might be holding some of that information back, because I think what price What happened is that the e m t arriving first on the scene may have thought that they were arriving at a car accident as some kind of car fatality and they get there and they learn very quickly that that is not the case. We also have the strange

mention of his of his shirt of Brandon shirt being pulled up over his head. That also seem strange because we have two witnesses arrived or of one who found the body and another, officer who was one of the first people on the scene, saying that I saw what look to be bullet gunshots bullet wounds in behind the ear right, but you could have the sure over just his face, and then I'd wander. You know as far as a ricky stuart goes like did. Did he happen to pull the shirt over his face for whatever reason like cause? You know that he passed on. I I dunno like that. Just seems a little sketchy me well here's here's the thing the rumour mill was going so rapid that in two thousand and eight. It made the papers to the point where they had to in our view, the commonwealth attorney the grace and commonwealth attorney, because there was

rumours going around that they had finally had a person of interest. In the case it had been named a person of interest in the cold case, but they is six years later. He addressed the rumour stating that the investigation into Brandon, billings murder is continuing. Although no persons of interests have been identified, both the commonwealth attorney's office, an the sheriff's office, continue to extend their support to the boy. His family now want to jump ahead two more years here, captain this takes us to two thousand and ten. Where so far there has been no suspects or persons of interest named in the brain of buildings case no has been arrested? Obviously There seems to be all no movement on this thing at all for many years. Well, we finally are you ready here? Are you ready for a break? In the case captain his eye and understand what brand parents are are going through. I can understand their frustration with the investigation,

well hold onto your buns because we are going to get a big break. Finally, in this case, so. In two thousand and ten and two thousand and ten a former livin girlfriend of a man named chair, Alan Reeves comes forward. She is accusing him of having killed, Brandon billy or been involved in the killing of brandon billings yeah, but we ve seen this before right with the ex friends come on out ex girlfriend of a criminal and then they implement them in a case that maybe they're not involved in Ok, you wanna hear how this goes down. Yeah, that's why I'm here, I have usually very very obvious, okra, very dismissive yeah. Well, we've heard this before I didn't mean to ok the axe. This is Tammy Simone, a sheep,

via the break, the implicated reeves. In the case she described for investigators, what reeves told her in the hours after billings was killed on october, six, two thousand and two tammy simone is a single mom with a small child back in two thousand and two, Both of them were living with reeves at the time she said that she was, wakened by reeves at about five, a m that day reeves told tammy to go downstairs and he told her to count what she says is a large sum of cash that reeves had laid out on the kitchen table tablet. A large sum of cash according to sammy reefs tat earth of sorry, tammy Simone Tammy, says that right It was a sweating quite a bit and he was obviously nervous saying that he kept

Oh, my god, oh my god. Oh my god. She knew something was obviously wrong. However, reeves did not say anything other than oh, my god and pacing the floor. He did this work some time. It sounds like maybe as long as an hour then, later that day, he offered up some more information to Tammy and he told her quote. I fucked up my boys fucked up. He said they well, he actually said quote we killed the wrong person, it should have been Brian hill, me simone apparent she left reeves. They split up in two thousand and four, but she did not come forward. Two investigators with this story until two thousand and ten six years later. I understand that she has a child's protect, but you have humanity to protect as well

Okay, so get this straight. So we have our reeves comes back. He has large sum of money is, oh, my god, oh my god, oh my god right and then the colonel costs on the shell. quoting this man reeves. Those are not my words, but it's ok. So, let's less clear this up a little bit, So what do we know about this Reeves character? He was a known drug dealer and action There are police and investigators in the area that actually say he was a very good drug dealer, meaning he could move drugs and he didn't get caught doing it or he was hard to catch doing it. We should say tammy, the living girlfriend. She often would count money for him, I don't know what the the sum of money was. The amount of the money was, but he would often have her count out the money. For some reason, I have no clue what that involve.

Well. I just wanted it now because like for some people, a large sum of money is two hundred dollars. You know, and it could have been two hundred once now. That's a lot of counting rate up, but or was it thousands of dollars, and I think that makes a diff because he is stating we killed the wrong guy. Ok, so so, ok, you don't implying that they killed brannan, but and he spoke killed this other guy will. Why was he supposed kill the other guy? You know I'm kind of reading between the lines here in in looking at this, but so this Brian hill there is actually there was no further formation, reported on why Brian hills name came up in the case or why reeves in his boys wanted to kill Brian hill at my guess is that it would have in money or drug related right right. It's

sounds to me, like reeves, was running some kind of drug ring that he had people working in selling and moving drugs for him. morning to Tammy I'm just you know, win win the police and when investigators say that you're, a good drug dealer, I'm guessing we're not talking about he- was coming home with fifty year, two hundred or three hundred dollars, my I'm guessing He came home with money for tammy to count. It was light. She said quote a large sum of money it it appears. His work, though the reason I bring that up those because we don't we and assume that this money came from branded, there would be oh romantically, guessing the money didn't come from right right. That's what I'm trying to be clear about an here's, my thoughts, okay. So when, when he says my boys screwed up its

sammy, like it like his deeds, just got the wrong guy that somehow they just attacked the wrong who'd, mistaken, identity or- Brandon was in them happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I dont know the answer to that to pay this picture better, that at some point they either see him at the convenience store, or they see this truck and they go that's the guy and they made a mistake in the truck I think that then I think you're onto something there right and then we have this some kind of evidence that the truck rex there's some kind of wreckage right. How did that happen and but at what point did you know it's the wrong guy because at some point some shooting him from six to twelve inches away here? So I don't know why. But the the pictures I'm in clear here well in it, it actually makes a little bit of sense too, because

We, when we were looking into this in the beginning, I kept why Why the hell is this case so hard to solve. We should be able to come up with, with some kind at least have a suspect. You know the one of the questions that people ask all the times if you're gonna get if you're gonna murder somebody right, I've heard this on other, ah murder, podcast rate, they sit around talk about how it works Basically, you know it's the question that you know when you start looking into these. cases over and over. How would you go about it where you wouldn't get caught and one of the things is always will you pick somebody you dont know well, of course, it has no connection to so. You know Brandon might have known about these guys, but I don't think he knew knew these guys. Well. That would be a situation where you're just murdering for fun. But let's say sorry about that. Well, I hope nobody's murdering

on a bright but you're you're asking the hypothetical question: how would you kill someone and get away with it? While you pick someone? Did you dont know why no, the person. That means you have no other reason, but you want to kill somebody just to kill somebody rebel, I'm saying, makes this case so much more difficult is cause, may be branded, didn't know, Chad and maybe Chad didn't know Brandon well and that's what makes sense about this whole scenario, because we we, you know, as you stated as we all know, stranger on stranger crimes are a million. Times harder to solve than if it somebody on your inner circle. It makes sense why this case went coal. Why they just don't seem to have any. Let's take a second and talk about two of the grossest words in the english language, dog Food dog food is literally how we describe food. So grow.

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fine, more balance with better help. The we're back cheers everybody, so captain Brandon billings murder is a cold case, no more. My friend right in two thousand and Thirteen eleven years of investigating law enforcement agencies have narrowed down the evidence enough to indict to suspects in connection with the two thousand and two death of the galaxy high school student brandon billing The sheriff says that two men were charged with killing Brandon and they were suspects early on the men charged with murder after other, so backs were eliminated in new evidence came forward. The murder suspects are george albert harper. The third he is

forty years old in two thousand and thirteen and choice Alan Reeves, who is thirty three in two thousand and thirteen, the oh, my god, oh my god, oh my god, guy sheriff richard VON, said that there were a number of suspects in the initial suspect pool and it was their job too follow up on leads and eliminate suspects until they were left with. Just these to the sheriff could not elaborate as to how many other suspects were eliminated. Now VON took the investigation over as a cold case in two thousand and eight from the former sheriff. This is jerry Wilson, who whose work was commended von said. We appreciate what sherry, what sheriff jerry Wilson in the previous admitted nation had done on the case. We picked it up where they had left off. Spent thousands of ours on that, and we were able to gain additional information. The media question him about the two suspects that were arrested, reeves and how,

for having been looked at early in the investigation to which the share for applied in eighty percent of cold cases. The killers name is already in the insight report. Over time we were able to build the case and work with the commonwealths attorney and investigated. Grand jury and we were able to get enough to issue indictments one. It probably helps that reeves Ex girlfriend came forward finally and basically said hey. He confessed to this crime, and at this time once these indictments were issued. No further information about the case itself, including motive or evidence, was released at that and as usual and right we saw when arrest or made. We should not expect much information to come out before the trial. So at this time, to be clear. So at this time reeves was in federal prison in Kentucky, so the state charges will not be tried until the completion of his federal. Sir.

and then we have harper who was already in custody is well. He was in the virginia department of corrections at the time of the tube charged with murder. It was uncertain as to win. Harpers murder. Trial would take place, let's go and get to the trial right captain, so we have reeves who's going to go on trial. First, the prosecution opened up the trial, so early on early testimony showed that reads in harper were both drug dealers. Oh no direct connection between the two defendants was established early in the trial. The prosecutor. This is this- is kind of a kick in the gut right here for everybody, while birthing kicking the ball.

secure stated: there's no compelling physical evidence pointing at reeves you'll, see that none of it points to the defended, but none of it points to any one else. He also acknowledged that the crime scene photos in the autopsy did not fully explain what had happened. You got that right. He but they opened up the trial, basically saying, there's no evidence directly connecting the defendant them. that we are trying for this murder, We have no evidence directly connecting him to this murder. Ok. Well, first of all, if there is no direct evidence, dance Have your opening be that brought hey by the eight that's gone into the lock room with your football team, saying: hey guys, but you know there's no way we can win today. You know what I mean like: that's, basically what they said: they they basically lost,

argument right away. Hey just let you know there is no evidence. I question that move too. Might my thought is they must have been sitting around four hours going, there's when we once we get done presenting our case, The jury is gonna go well. There was no evidence directly connecting the sky, so I think they thought maybe their best plan of attack was to point that out in state that you know it not going to point to anybody else either. So we need to make a couple leaps for us connecting him to the case, the problem with that We have a situation where you have to: u have to convict him beyond reasonable doubt. Yeah wall maybe dont the case until you have enough evidence yeah. So, let's, let's talk about some things that were brought up at the trial, nothing they hit they. Basically they stood up and said we have nothing and then they set down. Ok, well, the end

to timeline. We were right. Captain suggested that the slang likely occurred soon after billings had arrived at the scene where he was found. The timeline was based on video, showing him having left the galaxy convenience store three forty, a m and then we have barkley the guy, that's camping with his wife hearing the shots at four a m, so they pointed that there was no. There was no similarly of extra time involved right. This was the lead investigators higher. He also testified about leads. There were chase down in the case, including identify and locating two men seen on me. Yo chatting with brandon billings, while eating at the galaxy store. I guess these guys.

Track down to a rodeo in north carolina. They said that they had departed the store at the same time that branded billings said that he was heading home right. I guess billings told them that he was heading home higher also pointed out that a number of thirty eight column. Or fire arms were sent to the state crime lab for analysis, but no hits risk I'll in the eleven years of investigating this murder case. So still nothin right Well, while we are on the investigations, timely I do want to point out that todd perkins another investigator. He was called and he was question. as to how long the drive would be for brandon billings to get from the convenience or to the area where his truck was later found and todd perkins stated that if your travelling going the speed limit with the expected amount of traffic, which we I would guess would be now name near none almost four in the morning, then it would have taken

in a billings approximately thirteen minutes to get to that location. So there were their right to say that if he would have been attacked shortly after having arrived, that's roughly within seven minutes of the time that shots were fired so Get to. I want to talk about the star, witness, remember, Tammy, Simone she's, the ex girlfriend of chad, reeves yeah. Let's get the give you the shortened version of her testimony. She was. She was, the stand longer than anybody else during this trial possess all they had well, I guess She started living with Chad reeves when she was twenty one. This is back in two thousand and one and we now that she left him in two thousand and four simone's testimony painted a picture a boyfriend who, after she moved in with he spoiled her, and he spoke her son as well. This came with things like new cars, vacations lots of gifts, drug money,

She never suspected her son to have been abused by chad, reeves, never expected any, never, never suspected any abuse. however, according to Simone reeves was a. A paranoid and controlling person regarding her behaviour, including forcing her to take drugs test weekly to make sure that she, clean and having her followed. Okay, so he sells drugs, but you want to make sure that she's clean so much that he's gonna have to take a piss test, yeah and arresting and according to testimony having her followed in recorded by others, to make sure she wasn't doing anything behind his back, she said that they did that. Them did have some physical altercations. She said that Chad reeves basically slept all day about three or four the afternoon. He would get up

he would leave in the evening and he would come home the next morning. She not every day but about seventy percent of the time. Simone relief, a story of being woken up by him early that morning the the morning in question by reefs. Remember he got out of bed and told her. Go down to the kitchen. This is where she counted what is being called in core a fresh stack of cash. Some squealer said that he will as said that reeves was more odd than he had ever been before. I love all these losers. He's odd losers that have girlfriends the two pair What guide is following? You will warn that is making you piss in a cup and yeah. It's it's a it's a tough world for We also have to keep in mind, though, that you and I

both are a little if he on on her story about reeves being involved, were it am I right in saying that yeah mean cause, I mean she has motive to lie. That is so. It almost makes you, I think. If you have to question one thing, she sang have to question everything she sang, but let's, let's get back to that day, at the day in question the morning in question, she said that reeves was pacing around the kitchen shaking and he had a hard time breathing. She said this went on for about an hour. Maybe an hour a half. She said he kept repeating himself throughout that time. Additionally, she said he stood in the doorway and he said branded billings now m over and over again, so he knew Brandon well according to this testimony right, if, if he didn't know him before or Brandon was killed. He certainly knew his name after he had been killed right, but we do have evidence that,

I went through his wallet, so even if they didn't know him, he could have seen that driver's license and that driver's license could be haunting him and he said, they're gone, but again we're talking about a guy. That's named kyle Brandon billings, so I think this shows some evidence that a chad would have known who he was if, if, if this story is true and he's saying, Brandon billions bren billing, she would have to nome enough to know that he goes by brandon billions, not kyle, Brandon billions right, or Tammy having read brandons name in the newspaper countless times. Regarding the cold case yoke She didn't come forward with her story until two thousand and ten eight years after brandons death, five, years after reeves had went to prison on drug charges. She said that part of this was because she was a. Aid, even though reeves had never hurt her son, he had told her if she ever left him,

would roll my mom up in carpet carpet douse it with kerosene, lighter on fire and make me watch. He said he would make the people I love disappear, like Brandon, billings and even threatened to have her son taken away to mexico, while the fact that she came out later, like I said, I know, applaud that because you know, if you have information, you'd need to do the right thing and and tell the cops. I understand why you would, because you want to protect your family when her protect your son or your kids, and but the fact that she came out so far but later to me that gives her less of a motive to one of sticking to chad, for whatever reason you and I yes, I don't so much mind that it's that many years later, but but when you're talking about the guys in prison, I mean he's in

prison for years, and I understand that he's probably some kind of leader. It sounds like he's. Some kind of leader of losers- and you know, but still it's been five years- that he's in prison, tad reeves leader of losers. Tammy says that she stayed with reeves for a little bit after after that night of him talking about brandon billings only leaving him after she graduated from college there. She left him and tried to cut off contact with reeves. She said that reeves shot up her car and, at some point, sent a man to her house. She ll see that that's the reason. Why listen in people to you? How this is to stop the sound scary and she said that she called reeves crying has Erika, reminding him that the car that she had was her only means of transportation for both her and her son. She said that she didn't,

call what reeves reaction was at the time of that phone call, but he eventually called about a week later apologizing and he offered to have the vehicle fixed if she came back and gotten in a relationship with him right. At no point in the trial. This is kind of the strange thing here, though, to at no point in the trial did she Tammy ever mention the name Brian hill. Now remember. We stated that that's in her original in her original report to police did that's who he said that real said that they were supposed to kill. Rightly so,. I am not certain why the poor secure wooden at least bring up the person brief stated he was in the intended target of the shooting the ended up, killing brat brandon billing.

Right right right, especially when you have a situation where you're saying the autopsy report and the crime scene photos don't really explain to the jury. What happened you kind of have to bob ross it and paint this picture for these people. So let's talk about the happy trees. We have what would be the connection to these two suspects and the victim. Well, we have Patricia Davis. She is called to the stand. She is brianna, billings, aunt, ok, she's called the stand by the defence which seem strange, but she's asked about george Harper he's the other suspect he's not on trial here, but he's the other suspect in buildings. Death, Patricia Davis, recalled an event at august, two thousand and two called the old fiddlers convent. In an galaxy where she and Brandon were together. She.

In Brandon, saw his girlfriend at the time Elizabeth Edwards, with this george harper stating that brandon was very upset with this and decided to leave the convention now later in the murder investigation. The sheriff's office came to her and presented her with a book of pictures of different people and asked if she had recognize any of them as the person that was seen with brandons girlfriend at this convention and she picked out this harper guy. She picked out the george harper guy of we buy the girlfriend story against tat reeves. Then maybe Chad was told by harper that this was the wrong guy, but actually harper was targeting brought brandon, reason mediate just confusing because there doesn't seem to be much of a connection between the two suspects and the murder victim and There seems to be even less of a connection between the two suspects themselves. Now I understand that,

both known drug dealers yeah, but both drug users as well. Right I dont know that, just because their dealer doesn't mean that their a user so I mean maybe they're. Their connection is not well known. It's obviously not well known to the police or to the prosecutor, because that doesn't seem to be present very well at the trial itself,. Now, we have another woman whose called jennifer schaffner is called to the stand, and she worked as a home healthcare nurse at the time of billings death. One of her patience was george harpers grandmother, and she testified that, through the course of working there her in george developed, a friendship and during this friendship, harper once told her. I didn't do it. This is in reference to brandons case. I didn't do it, but if I did this is how I would have done it and he pulled her shirt.

Up over her head and made a gun with his hand and made a gun you with his fingers and his thumb there right put it behind her ear and said bam, Bam bam. She said this scared me enough to quit. She didn't quit her job, but it sounds like she quit working for harper's grandmother, so schaffner decided at first not to go to the sheriff's office regarding this and why? Why put that? Why pull the shirt up debts? I dunno that's what he did. This is what he did to her. He pulled up her shirt, stuck, as you know, fake gun behind her ear and pretended to be pulling the trigger the problem with this is this rings true, with some of the facts that we know of the case and how he was found. How Brandon was found. Schaffner indicated that harper was talking to her even after he, she no longer had his grandmother as a client talking to her and texting. Her

Okay. This is why aunt understand about the world. Okay, we have this lady that claims that this individual, basically reenacted how he would have done the murder and that's how the murder took place and it scared you enough to not work for his grandma anymore right, but you continue to text him and talk to him on the phone like that. It doesn't make any sense. So it's like now, then it makes it hard for me to believe your story at all. You know. Are you stupid? Are you a liar? It doesn't necessarily that she was happy to receive communication from harper robots kept replying, We don't know that morocco, we don't know because the only other part of her testimony that talks about her having contact with him after that particular incident is a situation where he told her and I'm not certain if this was in person or if it was via text,

but he told her. I wish people would not talk about me murdering my friend, I didn't do it. She did respond to him, whether it be in person or via text. By saying, I told him if he didn't want people to talk about it than he should probably not talk about it any more himself farm, sir. I apologize for goin off on No, no you're fought your fine, it's it's, it's not clear, but it sounds too like it. There is a possibility that he may have just try to continue talking to her and he would have had her phone number I'm guessing because she was looking after his grandmother at some point. So let's talk about the defence. The defence has some pretty good arguments here, the first one being is it they point out that there are wanting to lab reports that are presented at court and nothing in any of those lab reports points to Chad, reeves.

Having been involved in the murder of brandon billings right stating that, basically, except for the fact that we have tammy simone saying that he was involved. We got nothing here, we got nothing. Will right in the prosecution already said that at the beginning, What are you thinking? Well, they went on to point out that you know Simone after having left reeves in two thousand and four this she had gone to the magistrate to take out a warrant on Chad, reeves for malicious, wounding assault, battery and destruction of private property, pointing out that during no point of this meeting with the magistrate? Did she ever mention the most well known unsolved murders in the history of grace and county? Then he points out that in two thousand and ten when she came forward with the story, she was flirting with

cop and galaxy, and then all of a sudden, the story comes out. He also pointed out that brandon billings was found with his pants unzip and undone with blood. blowing up nothing flowing down his chin. He went through several of the details the crime that were not known and it actually is getting somewhere with this and it take a minute to get there but pointing out some other things too, that there were tire tracks beside the rock that was found with brandon billings blood on it right states that this was in a turn around area. Remember the investigator stated that it was about a hundred feet away from the truck he's. Describing this area as an area that people would turn around their vehicle to go the other direction the little. So this is the first time that the release information that brennand billings pants down

act? Is pants were unzip in undone, it sounds like you didn't sound like they were down. Ok, he also stated that the inside the truck the arm rest was Torah and there was a red baseball cap found somewhere on the ground at the crime scene he's really think he's bringing this up to just point out that there is a lot more stuff going on at the crime scene than we were one aware of right and to this point point two somebody possibly having been in the truck with brandon before he was killed. He also stated that that when brandons truck hit the creek at least one wheel was spinning in the mud, so they had some kind of evidence of this. And that the did I stated the the keys were found in the ignition of the truck not

Oh and here's another. Here's an answer to your question. The truck was in neutral, LISA also that there was blood down the driver side door with the door, partly open and billings hanging through the window, also stating that bill it was shot with a thirty eight caliber weapon three times in the head and once in the neck and no gun or guns were recovered ever that matched to this crime. Now he said that the prosecutor, in our opinion, failed to paint a picture for the jury as to what may have taken place. What led to

brandon having been killed that night. Well, in contrast to that, we have the defence who is going to start to paint a picture of what, if for the jury, and this starts with him saying that the way that the truck was planted in the creek, the passenger side door was blocked by a tree, preventing it from being opened, and he asked the jury. Was someone inside the truck pushing their way out the driver side door had blood on pressed against it as, someone was pulling someone out of the cab on the driver side. He also pointed out that test the dna from brandon billings girlfriend was found in his pockets on his pants. Ok, and then the rock house area is known as a quota unquote lover's lane, but where

We have surveillance at the. We have surveillance and eye witnesses at the convenience store, and nobody ever claims that they saw her. Nobody clauses have seen brandon with anybody, leaving that convenience right, and so he points out. The question you know: is this really my defended a case of a killing the wrong guy or is this a lover who is jealous dial now he also pointed out Defence also pointed out that there was dna found at the crime scene of a second an identifiable person. So just there there's a lot more going on here then. In my opinion, there is more questions here. brought up a trial than there are answers presented at trial. Basically, we come full circle to basically say we know nothin yet. Well it s the the jury. They deliberated for four hours after the trial over the trial only took three days

as probably not a good sign when the trial only takes three days. Basically, they called about ten witnesses. only one that being tammy Simone. Well, I mean you could debate it. You could debate it, but it looks is as far as reeves goes he's the guy on trial where we talked a lot about harper, but reeves is actually the guy on trial and other tammy. None of these ten witnesses make any connection between this aspect and brand and buildings Deliberated for four hours and reeves was found not guilty. Now he will not be released. He will not go free? He will actually returned a federal prison because he was serving a fifteen year sentence at the time for drug trafficking charges from back in two thousand and five, the weird thing: here, though, is we do have harper that is called to testify in reeves is trial, and he was asked. Were you press

the night branded billings was murdered. His answer was refused to answer under grounds that I may incriminate myself. He was then asked do you know who killed, Brandon, billings and again refused to answer. The question then asked: did you kill brandon billings, to which harper replied? No sir, after the trial of Chad reeves, we have harper george, our harper, the third he was charged with perjury because he had to give testimony under oath multiple times, sometimes in front of the grand jury, sometimes in front of the jury at this trial. The problem is in those situate since he was under oath. I believe three times he gave a different story so he perjured himself at least once more likely twice because having given three story. So

to which he ends up pleading heap. He put guilty to the perjury charges he's back in prison. on his old charges, plus these perjury charges, he is the murder charges against him for the case of brandon billings has ultimately been dropped. The prosecutor is stating, though this is not, we're not throwing him out as a suspect. The problem is, you know, reeves went free, We need more evidence. We can have another three day. Try. We can't bring harper to trial after this in and he ends up walking to so they're still look for the evidence it is needed in this case. Do I want answers of Where do I want somebody to be guilty? Of course? Do I want there to be justice for brandon and for his family? Of course, the problem is there

Nothing that I can look at in this trial and as far as the evidence goes that points to me that they got the right person or persons right and doesn't point that they didn't do it. This is a matter of finding the truth yeah. It is frustrating as it is that there is no one to hold accountable for this tragic death for this horrible murder. There's there's nothing here. I mean our system would be completely broken. If, reeves would have been found guilty of that we have method. Reading for this week, yes, everybody check out the dama nietzsche affair. This is

Engrossing investigation of the multiple murder of three english tourists in the french countryside back in the nineteen fifties written by Martin kitchen, he does a great job, a fantastic job as he recreate the tangled threads of this famous case, reconstructing the facts of the triple homicide, check out the dominate she affair by Martin kitchen egg and set out all of our recommend books on our website at true crammed garage dot, com click on the recommended page. They you guys so much for listening. Thanks for coming into the grudge drinkin some beers and hanging out with us means the world that's right, and until next week be good, be kind and don't live?

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