Authorities use cell tracking technology to charge man in 2016 Aliquippa killing

The advancement in tracking cell phone usage led Beaver County authorities to charge a 36-year-old Aliquippa man in 2016 execution-style killing of a friend, the Beaver County District Attorney said Wednesday.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Brandon Eugene Revis of Main Street, who was charged on Wednesday with criminal homicide in the June 1, 2016, death of Sjavante Gilliam of Aliquippa.

Gilliam was found on McMinn Street with a single gunshot to the back of the head, according to the criminal complaint filed against Revis.

Revis remained on the lam Wednesday night and authorities are not certain if he is hiding among friends locally or has fled the area, said District Attorney David J. Lozier. Police had searched his known hangouts and place of work early Wednesday morning.

“We just barely missed him,” Lozier said.

Investigators had reopened the cold case and benefited from advanced computer software that was able to do a better job of tracking cell phone usage and the location, based on pings from a cell phone tower, Lozier said. Armed with that information, Lozier said they were able to refute Revis’ claim that he was not with Gilliam at the time and location of the slaying.

In the past week, a confidential source told police that Revis had admitted to shooting Gilliam, who was a Marine Corps veteran.

Authorities believe Gilliam may have been shot because he and Revis were involved in plotting bank robberies and someone told Revis that Gilliam was working with police. Another motive may have been a dispute over the proceeds of a drug deal where Revis believed that Gilliam had cheated him out of his share of the proceeds and he was shot, with Revis taking $1,500, Lozier said.

Revis also was accused of theft of the $1,500 from Gilliam and illegal possession of a firearm.

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