Dawson Reese

Dawson Wayde Reese was a beloved 21-year-old from Pekin, Illinois, known for his kindness, generosity, and ability to make people laugh. A 2022 graduate of Pekin Community High School, he was a distinguished four-year starter and team captain for the football team. After high school, he graduated from the Midwest Technical Institute in 2023 and began a career as a Commercial HVAC Technician for Daikin in Iowa, where he specialized in large-scale chillers. Friends and family remembered him as someone who was easy to love. He had a passion for the outdoors, enjoying activities like riding ATVs, jet skiing, boating, fishing, mushroom hunting, and trap shooting. He was also an avid collector of coins and silver and liked to play Texas Hold 'Em with his loved ones.

The lives of Dawson and his best friend, 21-year-old Chase Rhodes, were cut short in the early morning hours of Thursday, April 24, 2025. The two friends were spending time with another friend, 21-year-old Memphis Rue, in the basement of Dawson’s family home in the 11300 block of Illinois Route 29 in South Pekin. Dawson's father, David Reese, was asleep on the living room couch upstairs when he was jolted awake around 4:45 a.m. by the sound of several gunshots. He then heard Rue yelling, “They’re dead, they’re dead!”

According to court documents, Rue came up the basement stairs with a firearm. David Reese confronted Rue in the kitchen, seized the gun from him, and held him at gunpoint on the floor until law enforcement arrived. Deputies from the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and took Rue into custody without further incident. In the basement, they discovered the bodies of Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes. Autopsies later confirmed that both young men died from gunshot wounds.

The investigation was handled by the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tazewell County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services. On Friday, April 25, 2025, the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office formally charged Memphis S. Rue with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his two friends. Prosecutors filed a petition to deny Rue pre-trial release, arguing that he posed a "real and present threat" to the community.

Rue appeared in court via video conference from the county jail for a hearing on Tuesday, April 29. During the brief hearing, his defense attorneys consented to his detention while reserving the right to seek his release later. The defense also requested a mental fitness evaluation for Rue, which the prosecution agreed to. A judge granted the motion to evaluate Rue's mental state to determine if he is fit to stand trial. His next preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 22, with the court set to review his continued pretrial detention at each appearance.

In the days following the tragedy, the Pekin community came together to mourn the loss of the two young men. Hundreds of people, including high school alumni, teammates, and residents, gathered at the Pekin junior football league field for a candlelight vigil. Friends described Dawson and Chase as the most generous and kind kids, both on and off the football field. Their longtime friend, Kierstin Laws, spoke about the light they brought to everyone's lives. "The candle lighting is just a way to represent them and represent the life and the light they brought to us," she said. "I just think it’s very important for us to be together during this time."

A joint visitation for Dawson and Chase was held, followed by separate funeral services. The case against Memphis Rue is proceeding through the Tazewell County court system as of May 2025. He remains in custody pending the results of his mental fitness evaluation and further court proceedings. The community continues to grieve the sudden and violent loss of two of its own, remembered for their friendship and the joy they brought to so many.