Police issue arrest warrant for Aliquippa man accused of killing Sjavante Gilliam in 2016
ALIQUIPPA — After six years of investigating the death of 28-year-old Sjavante Gilliam, police have officially filed charges against one of the suspects.
Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier announced Wednesday that criminal homicide charges have been filed against Brandon Eugene Revis, 36, of Aliquippa, in relation to the murder of Gilliam on June 1, 2016.
According to Lozier, Revis had been a suspect before he was charged on July 6. This week, a confidential source came forward to tell investigators that Revis had admitted to the homicide, he said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, police were still attempting to locate Revis. They ask anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the Aliquippa Police at 724-375-6682 or dial 911 to speak with police dispatchers.
Gilliam was found dead in the 2100 block of Aliquippa's McMinn Street just after 5:42 a.m. that day. Officials determined the former Marine and Aliquippa football player had been murdered, suffering a gunshot wound to the head and neck.
In the new criminal complaint, officers detail that Gilliam had called his girlfriend earlier that night and said that Revis was driving his rental car. Around 12 a.m. the two dropped off a passenger at the Main Street Bar, with Gilliam then telling his girlfriend he and Revis were going to a casino in Pittsburgh.
Revis initially told investigators that he had been with Gilliam until 12:30 a.m. that night, last seeing Gilliam when he dropped Revis off at his girlfriend's house. Revis' girlfriend confirmed his account to investigators later that day.
During a post-mortem examination of Gilliam's body, investigators discovered he had been killed by a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Forensic experts determined the bullet came from a .40 caliber firearm, believed to be manufactured by Glock. A few days later, Gilliam's girlfriend called police to inform them he had provided a Glock-made gun to Revis.
Investigators then spoke to another witness who talked to Revis after Gilliam's murder, who detailed that Revis was nervous that Gilliam had been working with law enforcement against him. At this time, the witness said that Revis was carrying a gun and when asked he confirmed it was a .40 caliber handgun.
In the criminal complaint, officers said Gilliam was believed to have been involved in a series of bank robberies in Aliquippa during 2015. When his apartment was searched in December of that year, they found clothes and a weapon they believe were used in the robberies inside of a bag. The bag was noted during this investigation to have a tag indicating it belonged to Revis.
Agent John Orlando of the FBI later confirmed that Gilliam and Revis's cellphones had been in the vicinity of each other during the time of the murder, refuting the alibi that Revis had given investigators the day after the murder.
This past week, a confidential source told investigators that Revis had admitted to killing Gilliam and stealing $1,500 from his body after the murder. With this evidence, prosecutors were able to move forward with their charges and issue an arrest warrant.
"Our prayers and sympathies go out to the family of Sjavante Gilliam over their tragic loss," Lozier said. "They have stood by our investigators for the past six years and we thank them for their patience and continued support in the months ahead as we seek to convict Mr. Revis for this heinous crime."
Revis is facing charges of homicide, theft and prohibited possession of a firearm.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Police issue arrest warrant for Aliquippa man accused of 2016 killing
