Haunted House actor admits to murdering and disemboweling high school friend – as victim’s grieving father makes surprising statement

A haunted house actor has confessed to the murder and dismemberment of a high school friend who stayed with him on his way to visit his girlfriend in Alabama.

Brandon Christopher Risner, 23, admitted to killing Aaron William Davis, 21, in November 2022 after turning himself in to police.

Police found Davis’ Toyota Prius car abandoned and later discovered his body buried in a shallow grave near Risner’s home.

But the admission of guilt only served as some consolation for Davis’ parents, with his grieving father making a startling statement about his son’s killer.

Randy Davis says the two men had been such good friends that he felt like he had lost a second son.

Aaron William Davis, 21, was killed in November 2022 while staying at Risner’s home

“He has been as great a son to us as anyone. It really is like losing two children right now. It just felt like a betrayal,” Randy said 11Alive.

The couple attended the same high school and church in Cumming, Georgia.

Davis, a recent graduate of BYU-Idaho, stopped at Risner’s house on his way to Alabama but never reached his destination, prompting his family to call police.

The indictment details Risner’s attempts to cover up the crime, including cleaning up bloodstains and moving Davis’ body.

“He (Risner) removed Davis’ body from one location along Collingwood Road to another near Tumlin Drive, where he buried the said individual in an unmarked grave,” a criminal complaint seen by HofTV is reading.

“(Risner) attempted to dispose of the vehicle driven by (Davis), which contained blood, and attempted to remove blood on the mattress, carpet and a rug, as well as blood and blood spatter on the ceiling of an upstairs bedroom, ‘ the complaint states.

Davis and Risner, pictured, had been friends for years and actually grew up together, having attended the same high school and church in Cumming, Georgia.

Randy Davis, Aaron’s father, said losing his own son and sending Risner to prison was “like losing two children.” The couple had grown incredibly close in Georgia

Brandon Risner agreed to plead guilty to stabbing and dismembering his best friend

Davis stayed with Risner on his way to visit his girlfriend in Alabama, but the visit cost him his life

Risner initially fled after the killing, but later surrendered.

Court documents describe how Risner got Davis drunk during a night out at a bar.

Risner initially fled after his friend’s murder, but later surrendered to police

After returning to Risner’s home, Davis went to sleep in an upstairs guest room.

At some point during his stay he was stabbed to death.

‘During the night or early morning hours of the next day, [Risner] allegedly used a sharp object to stab Mr. Davis multiple times in the head, chest, torso and extremities, resulting in his death,” court documents said.

Risner removed some of Davis’ body parts, including part of his small intestine.

‘[He] placed the deceased body in Davis’ vehicle, drove to another location and buried him in a shallow, unmarked grave.”

Risner pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including murder and tampering with evidence.