Fatal Eviction is examining the murder of Ross Reisner and the attempted murder of Reisner’s partner, Kevin Murray, at their home by Brett Knight in East Setauket, New York.
Reisner was a respected member of the horse training community, and his brutal murder shocked the well-to-do community on New York’s Long Island.
On September 24, 2013, Knight drove up to the Reisner and Murray residence, and from the backyard, he fired through a window, shooting 50-year-old Reisner in the chest. Murray was injured when a bullet grazed his arm. The cops claimed Knight used a handgun to fire 11 shots at the two men.
Knight then fled across the country on his motorcycle. A few weeks later, US Marshals and a Sevier County Special Operations Response Team apprehended him at a house in Tennessee.
The killer had initially been friends with his two victims, and he had even rented a room in their East Setauket home. However, their relationship turned sour after the couple claimed Knight’s behavior became erratic and violent. Knight was evicted from their home.
Knight was a former executive at American Express, and after losing his job, he filed a lawsuit claiming the company fired him because he was HIV positive. The lawsuit was dismissed, and Knight came to believe Reisner and Murray had contacted his former boss, telling them the lawsuit was bogus.
Brett Knight claimed he was betrayed by Ross Reisner and Kevin Murray
The killer had been harassing Reisner and Murray for months before the shooting. He had sent them threatening letters and even a dead pigeon as some kind of warning. In one letter, Knight told them to “Prepare yourselves for a painful end.”
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelKnight reportedly told a detective that Reisner and Murray had betrayed him and destroyed his life.
The killer’s lawyer, Michael Brown, initially insisted that his client had been good friends with the victims and had no reason to hurt them. However, this argument became redundant after Knight confessed.
Brett Knight pleaded guilty to killing Ross Reisner
In December 2014, Knight pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder, aggravated harassment, and weapons possession. A couple of months later, he was sentenced to 22 years behind bars.
Knight showed some remorse at his sentencing. The killer apologized and claimed he would use the prison time to reflect on his actions.
The Brett Knight/Ross Reisner murder case was previously featured on Investigation Discovery on an episode of Raw Terror in 2020.
Fatal Eviction airs Saturday at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.