Anthony Demetrius Reese, 55, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge stems from an investigation into the disappearance and death of Angela Fuller, who was reported missing by a relative and was last seen with Reese.
On August 31, 2025, officers from the Columbia Police Department were investigating Fuller’s disappearance when they attempted to stop Reese’s vehicle. Reese fled from police and crashed his car in Lexington. Officers recovered a loaded firearm from the vehicle. According to authorities, Reese has previous felony convictions for domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, shoplifting (third offense or above), burglary (second degree), and assault and battery (second degree). These convictions prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
After an extensive search, law enforcement found Fuller’s body. Testing confirmed that the firearm recovered from Reese’s vehicle matched the weapon used in her murder.
Reese faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the gun charge. He could also be fined up to $250,000, ordered to pay restitution, and required to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. accepted Reese’s guilty plea and will determine sentencing after reviewing a report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Reese has pleaded not guilty to state charges including murder, unauthorized removal of a dead body, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a stolen pistol. He remains presumed innocent on those charges unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting.
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