On the night of February 25, 2026, in Killeen, Texas, a heated argument shattered the quiet, culminating in the tragic death of 35-year-old Brandon James Petree. Authorities were dispatched to the vicinity of Splawn Ranch Road and Zayden Drive at approximately 10:20 p.m. following a 911 call reporting the sound of arguing followed by multiple gunshots. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Petree unconscious in a field, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:41 p.m.
The preliminary investigation into the shooting quickly led to a person of interest. Police on the scene encountered 36-year-old William Kimbrell Ridgely walking in the field, covered in blood, yelling, and making sounds mimicking gunshots. Not far from where Ridgely was found, officers located Petree's body, which had sustained at least 11 gunshot wounds to the back, including several to the head. Investigators at the scene recovered 17 spent shell casings.
Subsequent investigation revealed a grim narrative of the events leading up to the shooting. According to an arrest affidavit, Ridgely and Petree had taken LSD and had gotten into an argument about the "evil in the world." Following this argument, Ridgely allegedly shot Petree multiple times.
William Kimbrell Ridgely was arrested and charged with the murder of Brandon James Petree. A Justice of the Peace arraigned Ridgely, and his bond was set at $500,000. He was subsequently booked into the Bell County Jail. The investigation continues to be handled by the Killeen Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division, Robbery-Homicide Unit.
