Deputies: Lancaster man died playing Russian roulette with revolver

Lancaster County authorities believe the man found dead last month in his truck was not killed in a homicide but died while playing Russian roulette.

On Jan. 12, deputies were called to the intersection of John Everall Road and Sunnybrook Lane where they found Brandon Wheeler Reese, 22, of Lancaster, shot dead inside his truck.

Lancaster County deputies and the State Law Enforcement Division began a homicide investigation.

Friday morning, the sheriff’s office released new details after determining his death was accidental.

Witness Lakendrick Tayon Wade, 20, of Lancaster told deputies he was one of three people with Reese when he was shot.

According to Wade, Reese came to his home on McIlwain Road wanting a gun. Reese drove Wade and another person to Palidin Trailer Park to the home of a fourth person for the weapon, the sheriff’s office reports.

The owner of the revolver stood outside the open front passenger door of the truck and handed Reese a .38 special revolver. He told Reese that if he successfully played Russian roulette with the revolver, he could take it, a release states.

Reese spun the cylinder once and pulled the trigger with the revolver pointed toward the floorboard of the truck. It did not fire. Reese then pointed the revolver at the right side of his head and pulled the trigger again. The revolver fired, killing Reese at the trailer park, according to the release.

“The owner of the revolver retrieved it and left the scene. Wade and the third person in the truck moved Mr. Reese to the front passenger floorboard of his truck, and Wade drove Mr. Reese to Springs Memorial Hospital (in Lancaster),” the release states. “Wade became fearful when he arrived at the hospital and did not stop.”

Wade then drove the truck to John Everall Road, and he and the third person left the truck and walked off.

The owner of the revolver assisted investigators in recovering the gun, which was determined by a firearms examiner at SLED to be the firearm which fired the fatal bullet.

Wade also was questioned by investigators about a shooting incident that occurred at 605 E. Marion Street in Kershaw on Jan. 3 and was charged with attempted murder in that case.

Investigators in that case say Wade and another person went to the victim’s home to rob him. The victim was in the home with his girlfriend, mother and three children.

The victim opened the door slightly after hearing a knock and then closed it after seeing two men on the porch, deputies say. A shot was fired through the door, striking the victim. He was airlifted to a hospital and later released.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 8:08 PM with the headline "Deputies: Lancaster man died playing Russian roulette with revolver."