Murder Under the Friday Night Lights Recap for 1/4/2023: A Killer’s Bet

• This week’s Murder Under the Friday Night Lights takes place in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 2013. Darrell Higgins, who was a coach at Deshler, remembers how football was a way of life in the down. DJ Box, who played for the team echoes his sentiments.

 

• Brioni (Bree) Rutland was a legendary player, who had been playing throughout his youth and made a name for himself throughout his career.

 

• Bree’s sisters Michelle and India recall him playing in a major game in 2008, leading his team to a win and setting a 88-yard record.

 

• Once Bree graduated college, he became a coach for his high school football team, where he not only coached the players to be better in the game, but better people in general.

 

• Bree soon became the father to a son named Jalen, who became the apple of his eye….or the sunlight as he called him. He devoted his life to his son, despite the fact that he and Jalen’s mom Ashley separated.

 

• Bree seemed to have been living a life of Riley until November 26th, 2013. He left school to run errands before a game, never to be seen again. Everyone was concerned because it was not like him to disappear without warning. Before long, a massive search began for the beloved coach.

 

• Michelle and India recall getting the news of Bree’s disappearance and being in total shock.

 

• His girlfriend Morgan was also concerned since she claimed he never came home the night before. She tried to place a missing person’s report but was told that it had not yet been 24 hours, so nothing could be done.

 

• Ashley didn’t think much of it and said she initially thought that Bree simply forgot to pick up Jalen due to losing track of time.

 

• More and more people become concerned, especially since they knew nothing would keep him from coaching and preparing for the Iron Bowl, which was to take place that week.

 

• Michelle and India are finally able to make a report to Detective Stuart Setliff, giving names of people who knew him or places he could have gone.

 

• They also told him that Bree and Ashley’s boyfriend had gotten into a fight over Jalen a few days before the disappearance. The boyfriend made claims that he was raising Jalen, which did not sit well with Bree. He was questioned and was cooperative, so authorities thought that he was innocent.

 

• Word quickly got out about Bree’s disappearance and rumors began to fly about what could have happened to him. However, the town ended up coming together in hopes of finding him.

 

• Bree’s friends and family recall him as an intelligent guy who never got into trouble.

 

• Michelle and India did reveal that Bree and his friends would place bets on football games, which could have led to something more sinister. Two of them that were involved with the bets were Chris and Kenny. They both claimed to have been worried about Bree and offered to do anything they could do to help.

 

• Rumors began to circulate that Bree was in deeper than people thought regarding the betting. He would collect or pay on Tuesdays, which was the day he went missing. It was soon a possibility that the betting had more to do with his disappearance than people thought.

 

• Detective Kevin Jackson recalls getting the call from Bree’s girlfriend Morgan Presley asking police to come to where she was. She also posted on social media for people not to call him because she was tracking his phone….which appeared to be across the river. Police track it and find Bree’s wallet and phone. At this point, everyone knew something was very wrong.

 

• Search parties now went into full force in hopes of finding his body. As authorities do more digging, the name Jeremy Williams popped up and they want to question him. Jeremy seemed evasive about it, but said he would try to stop in at some point.

 

• While Bree’s family celebrated Thanksgiving, they got a call from authorities that blood was found on a railroad bridge. At this point, everyone had a sick feeling that it belonged to Bree.

 

• They went to investigate but stopped as daylight turned to night…..until Bree’s car was found at an apartment complex by another coach and his wife.

 

• On November 29th, the search began by the bridge for Bree’s body. Media, family, authorities and friends were there to see what was happening. Cinder blocks were found and it was discovered that they were attached to his body.

 

• The community was in shock and despair over the loss of one of their own….and they all became determined to find his killer.

 

• Jeremy is finally questioned and he claimed that he spoke to Bree that day but was evasive about the entire situation. it was also discovered he lived close to where the body was found.

 

• Jeremy agreed to a consent search and authorities were on their way there with him when they got a call that suspicious things (including blood and cleaning aids) were found at Jeremy’s apartment.

 

• During more intense questioning, Jeremy claimed that he acted in self-defense after Bree attacked him. He then borrowed his girlfriend’s car to buy supplies at Walmart to help get rid of the body. He is then charged with the murder of Brioni ‘Bree’ Rutland.

 

• Michelle and India recall getting the news about the murder and the disturbing details, all of which did not add up to a self-defense act. They are both are shocked and upset that Jeremy would do this…and knew from the beginning that it was not an act of self-defense.  It was later discovered that Jeremy had financial issues and lured Bree to the house to kill him, despite the fact that Bree told him not to worry about the money.

 

• On November 21, 2015, Jeremy was found guilty of intentional murder and sentenced to life in prison.

 

• The Bree Rutland Award was created by the school and is awarded to a student who had made the biggest impact.

 

• Bree’s family and friends continue to honor his memory.