The quiet stretch of Illinois Route 29 isn't usually the kind of place that makes national headlines. It's mostly just flat land, steady traffic, and the kind of rural peace people move there for. But on a Thursday morning in April 2025, that peace didn't just break; it shattered.
Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes were two names most people outside of Pekin, Illinois, didn't know. To the locals, they were just two 21-year-old guys with their whole lives ahead of them. They were former high school athletes, friends who’d known each other since the days of Junior Football League (JFL) games.
Then the news hit. Double homicide.
The details that trickled out were the stuff of literal nightmares. It wasn't a random break-in. It wasn't a gang-related hit. It was a tragedy that happened inside a basement while a father slept upstairs.
The Night Everything Changed
Honestly, it started like any other night. Dawson Reese, Chase Rhodes, and a third friend, Memphis Rue, were hanging out in the basement of Dawson’s home. Dawson’s father, David Reese, was home too. He’d fallen asleep on the living room couch around midnight, thinking nothing of the three friends downstairs.
Around 4:45 A.M., the silence was gone.
David Reese woke up to the sound of gunshots. Then came the screaming. It wasn't a call for help; it was Memphis Rue yelling, "They’re dead! They’re dead!"
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Imagine waking up to that. David did, and he saw Rue coming up the basement stairs holding a firearm. In a moment of sheer survival instinct and adrenaline, David managed to disarm Rue and hold him at gunpoint in the kitchen until the Tazewell County Sheriff’s deputies arrived.
When police finally entered that basement, they found Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes. Both were 21. Both were gone.
Who Were Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes?
It’s easy to get lost in the "true crime" aspect of these stories. People search for the names Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes looking for the grisly details or the court updates. But to the people in Pekin, they weren't just case files.
They were kids who grew up on the football field.
A week after the shooting, several hundred people gathered at the Pekin JFL field for a vigil. This wasn't just a few friends. This was a community. There were alumni, old teammates, and families who remembered these boys when they were barely tall enough to put on a helmet.
Kierstin Laws, a longtime friend, described them as "easy to love." That’s a heavy phrase when you’re talking about two lives cut short. They were known for being generous and kind—the kind of guys you actually wanted to be around.
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The Suspect and the Courtroom Drama
The man charged with their deaths isn't some stranger. Memphis Rue, also 21, was considered a "good friend" by the family. That’s the part that really messes with your head.
Prosecutors eventually filed two counts of First Degree Murder against Rue. But the legal process hasn't been a straight line. Since the arrest, there have been significant questions about Rue’s mental state.
- April 2025: Rue is charged and a petition to detain him is filed.
- May 2025: Rue pleads not guilty. During court appearances, observers noted he seemed physically shaken, even appearing with a nosebleed at one point.
- Fitness Evaluations: Much of the legal proceedings throughout 2025 focused on whether Rue was even mentally fit to stand trial.
The defense has argued for these evaluations, and the prosecution hasn't really fought it. It's a standard but agonizing delay for the families who just want an answer to one simple question: Why?
Why This Case Still Matters
We see stories like this on the news and then we scroll past. But the Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes case sticks because it's a reminder of how quickly "normal" can disappear.
There are a few things that people often get wrong or overlook about this case:
- The Relationship: This wasn't a conflict between enemies. These three were friends hanging out. There was no reported "beef" leading up to that night.
- The Father’s Role: David Reese’s actions likely prevented further tragedy. Holding a suspect at gunpoint after finding out your son has been killed is a level of composure most of us can't comprehend.
- The Community Impact: Pekin isn't a massive city. This hit the local school system and the athletic community hard.
The autopsies confirmed that both men died of multiple gunshot wounds. It was fast, and it was violent.
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Looking Toward the Trial
As we move deeper into 2026, the focus has shifted entirely to the results of the mental fitness evaluations. If Memphis Rue is found fit, the trial will likely be one of the most high-profile cases in Tazewell County history.
If he's found unfit, he'll likely be sent to a mental health facility for "restoration" before the legal process can even continue. It's a waiting game that offers no comfort to the Reese and Rhodes families.
For those following the case, it’s important to stick to the facts provided by the Tazewell County Coroner and the Sheriff’s Office. Rumors fly on social media, especially in small towns, but the court documents remain the only source of truth here.
What You Can Do
If you’re looking to support the families or stay informed, here are the best steps to take:
- Follow local Pekin news outlets: Sources like WMBD and WCBU have been on the ground since day one. They provide the most accurate updates on court dates.
- Support local youth sports: The vigil held at the JFL field showed how much football meant to these two. Many local scholarship funds or memorial donations are often funneled through community sports programs in their names.
- Respect the privacy of the families: While the case is public, the grief is private. Avoid engaging in speculative "true crime" forums that rely on rumors rather than evidence.
The story of Dawson Reese and Chase Rhodes isn't over yet. The legal system is slow, but the memory of who these two were is still very much alive in Central Illinois.
To stay updated on the Memphis Rue trial status, check the Tazewell County Circuit Clerk's public records periodically for new filings or hearing dates.