Parents' Nightmare: Son's Friend Revealed as Wanted Killer in Georgia Missing Person Case
A chilling case unfolded in Rome, Georgia, in November 2022 when police discovered an abandoned Toyota Prius in a creek. The vehicle belonged to 21-year-old Aaron Davis, who had recently graduated from Brigham Young University. Aaron had traveled over 60 miles to visit his longtime friend Brandon Ryner to celebrate his graduation, but mysteriously disappeared after the visit.
Initial investigations revealed a disturbing scene at Brandon's house. When police questioned Brandon about Aaron's whereabouts, his account seemed suspicious. Officers found significant amounts of blood in the room where Aaron had allegedly been sick, alongside excessive cleaning supplies and a strong chemical smell. When police began to search the premises more thoroughly, Brandon suddenly fled the scene by jumping a fence, transforming what began as a missing person case into something far more sinister.
Key Takeaways
An abandoned car in a creek led police to investigate the disappearance of 21-year-old Aaron Davis after visiting his longtime friend.
Blood evidence and excessive cleaning supplies contradicted the friend's story about a night of drinking gone wrong.
The investigation intensified when the suspect fled from police during a home search, suggesting criminal involvement.
Murder and Fugitive Investigation
Brandon Ryner's Suspected Homicide
On a chilly November morning in 2022, police officers in Rome, Georgia discovered an abandoned Toyota Prius in a creek. The vehicle belonged to 21-year-old Aaron Davis, who had recently graduated from Brigham Young University. Aaron's father reported that his son had visited his longtime friend Brandon Ryner the previous day to celebrate Aaron's graduation, but hadn't been heard from since.
When officers contacted Brandon by phone, he claimed he and Aaron had started drinking around noon the previous day. According to Brandon, Aaron became severely intoxicated, began vomiting, and eventually told Brandon to leave him alone. Brandon stated he woke around 1-2 AM to find Aaron's car gone.
Later that day, officers visited Brandon's residence for further questioning. During the home search, officers noted several locked doors, including the one to the room where Aaron allegedly became ill. After Brandon unlocked these areas, officers discovered:
Strong chemical odors throughout the space
Excessive cleaning supplies
Significant blood stains beside the bed
Powdered substances that appeared to be cleaning agents
These findings contradicted Brandon's story about Aaron merely vomiting from intoxication. The volume of blood and extensive cleaning efforts immediately raised serious concerns among investigators.
Brandon's Flight and Search Operation
As officers continued examining the suspicious evidence in Aaron's room, Brandon suddenly fled the scene. He jumped a fence and ran toward Cingwood, escaping into the surrounding neighborhood. Officers immediately called for backup and began a neighborhood search operation.
The search team spread through nearby streets, checking between Leaport and East where Brandon was last spotted. They believed he might be hiding in one of the residential properties. During this search effort, one officer encountered a neighbor who was coincidentally on a phone call with Brandon's father, Jeremy Ryner.
The officer immediately took the phone to speak directly with Jeremy, who confirmed his identity as Brandon's father and the homeowner. At this point, Jeremy was unaware of his son's whereabouts or the gravity of the situation developing around his son's alleged actions.
Police continued their search while Brandon's parents waited anxiously, only beginning to learn that their son was now a suspect in what appeared to be a homicide case. The once close friendship between Brandon and Aaron had seemingly ended in violence, with Brandon now actively fleeing from authorities.
Finding the Abandoned Vehicle
Aaron Davis's Deserted Toyota Prius
On a cold November morning in 2022, police officers in Rome, Georgia discovered an abandoned Toyota Prius in a creek. The vehicle showed no signs of damage from an accident or collision. One officer noted, "There was no acceleration mark. It's almost like it just rolled off into the creek." The car's lights were still on, though the engine wasn't running.
After a tow truck pulled the vehicle from the water, officers ran the license plate and identified the owner as 21-year-old Aaron Davis. The small-town officers recognized the name, prompting Lieutenant Sailors to contact Aaron's father immediately.
Police Initial Scene Evaluation
When examining the vehicle, officers found the circumstances puzzling. The car appeared to have been deliberately abandoned rather than crashed. There were no skid marks or signs of a driver losing control. The position of the vehicle suggested it might have simply been left in neutral, allowing it to roll into the creek.
Aaron's father informed Lieutenant Sailors that his son had planned to visit a friend named Brandon Ryner before continuing to see his girlfriend in Alabama. The two young men had been friends since middle school and maintained their friendship through college. Aaron, a recent Brigham Young University graduate, had traveled over 60 miles to visit Brandon to celebrate his graduation.
No one had heard from Aaron since he left for Brandon's house, and calls to his phone went straight to voicemail. These concerning details prompted Aaron's father to file a missing person's report, officially launching an investigation to locate the missing 21-year-old.
Probe into Missing Person
Officer Sailors' Examination
Lieutenant Sailors discovered an abandoned Toyota Prius in a creek in Rome, Georgia during a November 2022 morning. The vehicle showed no signs of damage or acceleration marks, appearing to have simply rolled into the water. After checking the license plate, officers identified the car as belonging to 21-year-old Aaron Davis, a name already familiar to local police.
Upon discovering the vehicle, Lt. Sailors promptly contacted Aaron's father to gather preliminary information. During their conversation, the officer explained that they had found Aaron's car abandoned and were in the process of recovering it from the water.
Paternal Insights on Aaron's Vanishing
Aaron's father provided crucial context about his son's whereabouts before the disappearance. According to him, Aaron had visited his longtime friend Brandon Ryner the previous night. This visit was meant to celebrate Aaron's recent graduation from Brigham Young University.
The two young men had maintained their friendship since middle school, continuing through their college years. Despite the 60+ mile journey to Brandon's residence, Aaron made the trip for their celebration. Following his departure for Brandon's house, Aaron had become unreachable - his phone going straight to voicemail whenever anyone tried calling.
These concerning circumstances prompted Aaron's father to file a missing person report, officially launching the investigation into his son's whereabouts.
Brandon Ryner's Questioning
Police initially contacted Brandon by phone, as he was presumably the last person to see Aaron. During this call, Brandon claimed he was actively searching for Aaron at Heritage CL, showing apparent concern for his friend's welfare.
Brandon provided the following account:
He and Aaron began drinking red wine around noon the previous day
Aaron, not being a regular drinker, became sick and was vomiting
Aaron told Brandon to leave him alone
Brandon cut his pinky after dropping a bottle
When Brandon woke up around 1-2 AM, Aaron's car was gone
When officers arrived at Brandon's home for a face-to-face interview, his demeanor appeared strange. Brandon permitted officers to search the house, where they discovered several locked doors, including the one to Aaron's room.
Inside Aaron's room, investigators found:
A strong chemical smell
Excessive cleaning supplies
Significant blood stains beside the bed
Powdered substances on the floor
As officers' suspicions grew, Brandon suddenly fled the scene, jumping a fence and running toward Cingwood. Police lost sight of him during pursuit. While canvassing the neighborhood for information, an officer encountered a neighbor on a call with Brandon's father, Jeremy Ryner, who appeared unaware of his son's whereabouts.
Exploring the Evidence
Home Examination and Unusual Discoveries
When officers entered Brandon's residence to investigate Aaron's disappearance, they encountered several locked doors, including one to the room where Aaron had allegedly been sick. This immediately raised concerns among the investigating team. Brandon was asked to accompany an officer upstairs to access these areas, particularly the bathroom where Aaron had reportedly been vomiting.
Upon entering the room, officers detected a strong chemical odor permeating the space. They observed an unusual amount of cleaning supplies scattered throughout the area, suggesting recent intensive cleaning efforts.
The most alarming discovery was significant blood traces beside the bed. This blood pattern extended across the floor and appeared inconsistent with typical vomiting from alcohol poisoning. One officer noted, "There's a significant amount of blood next to the bed too... more than just vomit." The blood appeared to have been there for some time despite apparent cleaning attempts.
Brandon's Suspicious Actions and Chemical Evidence
Brandon's behavior during the investigation revealed potential signs of nervousness and deception. While initially cooperative, his demeanor changed noticeably when officers began examining Aaron's room more thoroughly. His account of events contained several inconsistencies regarding the timeline and Aaron's condition.
When officers discovered blood evidence and questioned the chemical smell, Brandon's actions took a dramatic turn. Without warning, he suddenly fled the scene, jumping a fence and running toward Cingwood. One officer immediately called for backup: "Suspect running back toward... get me more units." Despite pursuit efforts, officers lost sight of Brandon, who successfully evaded immediate capture.
The chemical odor pervading the room raised additional red flags. Officers documented evidence of cleaning powder spread across areas where blood had been found. The presence of hundreds of dollars worth of cleaning supplies suggested a deliberate attempt to remove evidence rather than routine cleaning after someone had been ill.
Brandon's abrupt flight from questioning transformed what began as a missing person investigation into a potential homicide case with Brandon as the primary suspect.
Pursuit and Public Assistance
Suspect's Evasion of Police
During the house search, Brandon Ryner made a sudden escape from authorities. As officers examined Aaron's room and discovered suspicious evidence, Brandon unexpectedly fled the scene. He jumped over a fence and headed toward Cingwood, prompting officers to call for backup. "Possible 1043, suspect running back toward," an officer radioed, requesting additional units to join the search. Despite immediate pursuit efforts, officers lost visual contact with Brandon in the residential area.
The 21-year-old suspect managed to evade capture by potentially hiding among houses between Leaport and East. His escape triggered an immediate response from law enforcement, who quickly established a perimeter in the area. The tactic of jumping fences through residential backyards made tracking Brandon particularly challenging for responding officers.
Residential Canvassing and Community Support
Police immediately began a comprehensive door-to-door canvass of the neighborhood after losing sight of Brandon. Officers questioned residents about potential sightings, creating a network of information to narrow down the search area. During this canvassing operation, a significant break occurred when an officer encountered a neighbor who was on a phone call with Jeremy Ryner, Brandon's father.
The officer took advantage of this opportunity to speak directly with Jeremy:
Officer-Parent Conversation:
Officer: "Hey sir, I'm Lieutenant Sy, police."
Jeremy: "Hi, I'm Jeremy Ryner, the homeowner and Brandon's father."
Officer: "We're probably going to need to talk to Brandon. Do you know where he is?"
Jeremy: "No, I thought he was..."
This unexpected connection with Brandon's father provided investigators with an additional avenue for information. Throughout the manhunt, community cooperation proved essential as neighbors reported sightings and allowed officers to check their properties. The coordination between law enforcement and local residents intensified as the search continued through the residential neighborhoods surrounding the crime scene.
