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Forum Posts for Gary Rees:
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Hi, Gary’s sister here. Some were wanting to know how social media helped getting Ricky Davis’s conviction.

Officers found several personal items at the crime scene, along with a cellphone. They searched to find who owned the phone and pulled records for it. Once they had a name from the cell, along with the cell phone number they looked into social media accounts. Facebook stores your phone number and some people use it to login to their account in place of using email. On Facebook they found pictures of a very unique bracelet exactly like one found at the crime scene. They also pulled Facebook records as well. They learned that Ricky had made several changes to his Facebook profile account, changing his name, deleting Gary as a friend, his “new” phone number, etc. They brought him in for questioning and during that time they had printed out a few Facebook photos from his account. He denied ever knowing Gary. The detectives had a casual conversation with him asking if he had a dog. He replied that he did. Identified he did. They showed him a picture from Facebook and it was a picture of a dog and an arm/hand stretching wearing a pretty unique bracelet. Showing him the photo they asked him if he’d ever seen the photo he replied he had. They asked if that was his dog. He replied yes it was. They asked if he knew whose arm /hand that was. He replied it was his. They asked if that was his bracelet, he replied yes it was and followed up with he hadn’t seen it in awhile because he had lost it few months ago. That bracelet was found at the crime scene. There was also a casino card found at the scene. The name on that card was his girlfriends. He said that his girlfriend had lost that card several months earlier. They allowed him to leave. Continuing interviews with several other people building their case. The phone records showed that his phone pinged the tower close to the crime scene. It also had several texts and calls to my brother on the days leading up to the day Gary was killed. They had enough information to get a warrant for his arrest. It was approximately 2-3 weeks after his death when they arrested him. Once arrested he admitted to knowing him and spoke to him, setting up a drug deal for pot for his buddy.

He opted for a speedy, bench trial. During the trial all the cell phone tower pings, Facebook proof showing he owned the bracelet that was found and messenger messages along with texts played a huge part to convict him.

He was found guilty 2 years and 1 day after he killed my brother. He took Gary’s life over 250.00 of pot. Irony of it all is all he had to do was talk to my brother telling him he didn’t have the 250.00 and he would have given it to him and told him to catch him when he had it, instead of trying to steal it and runaway prompting my brother to take it back and go running to his motorcycle. During that time Ricky pulled out a gun and started shooting. Hitting him in 3 places. The one that killed him went into his heart. After conviction he was moved to the Pendleton Correction facility in Oct and he couldn’t handle the big boy jail and what he’d done. He decided to hang himself in his cell the end May 2019.

i know we learned a lot regarding social media and what all they can find out.

thank you for taking the time to explain this. I’m so sorry for what your family has been through, and for having to keep reliving it just to correct the record.

What you shared makes it really clear that social media didn’t “solve” the case on its own, but it absolutely helped investigators connect the dots. Once police had a phone and were able to tie it to a person, social media became a way to confirm identity and ownership, especially with something as distinctive as that bracelet. That part where he denied knowing Gary but then casually confirmed the Facebook photo was his dog, his arm, and his bracelet is chilling—because it shows how a simple conversation, paired with preserved posts and records, can dismantle a lie.

It’s also important that you pointed out the changes he made afterward. People often assume changing a name, deleting someone, or updating a number erases the trail, but those changes can be tracked when records are requested. Add in the bracelet found at the scene, the casino card linked to his girlfriend, and the phone records placing him right there and showing communication with your brother leading up to the day he was killed, and it becomes a powerful chain of evidence instead of a single detail that can be explained away.

And the part that sticks with me most is what you said about how unnecessary it all was. A life taken over $250 when a conversation could’ve avoided it entirely. I’m glad you shared this, because it’s both a real-world lesson about what digital footprints can reveal and a reminder that behind every “case update” is a family living with the loss.

Thank you again for speaking up and for honoring Gary by telling the truth about what happened.

That was an amazing account of what happened. Thank you so much for sharing it. It is so satisfying to see someone brought to justice after such a sensless crime.

I’ve been following Gary Rees' case closely, and one aspect that sticks with me is the role of technology in catching Ricky Davis. Seriously, whoever worked on tracking those cellphone towers deserves a shoutout. It’s fascinating and a bit mind-boggling how such small details can make or break a case. My heart goes out to Gary's family—knowing how this ended must be a difficult relief, if that makes sense. It’s a testament to how vital technology has become in modern investigations, and I hope it continues to help bring justice to those who need it most. Sending thoughts to Gary’s loved ones and everyone still feeling his loss.
Has anyone else been following the trial proceedings for Ricky Davis? I've been digging into the evidence presented, and it's fascinating how much technology played a pivotal role in securing a conviction. The phone call history and the cellphone tower data were crucial in piecing together what happened that night. It's mind-boggling to think about how these digital breadcrumbs can now serve justice and hold perpetrators accountable.
I've been thinking a lot about how this case, like many others, underscores the importance of having a robust digital forensics team during investigations. It's a bittersweet comfort knowing that Gary's family hopefully found some peace with the conclusion of this case, but it's still so gut-wrenching that they even had to go through this ordeal. Crimes like these remind us of the fragility of life and the importance of ensuring justice through every means available. Thoughts with Gary's loved ones who have had to brave this harrowing journey.
Has anyone else been following the Gary Rees case? I've been thinking a lot about the role technology played in finally getting justice for his family. It's amazing how phone call history and cellphone tower data helped link Ricky Davis to the crime. I can't imagine how difficult this process must have been for Gary's loved ones, waiting for answers and justice. It's a reminder of how crucial modern investigative tools are in piecing together the truth in such tragic situations. My heart goes out to Gary's family, and I hope this case can somehow contribute to safer communities for everyone. Anyone else have thoughts on how this case was solved with digital evidence?