David Cody
Williams, Chief of Police
Ryan Police Department
Police Chief
David Williams, 30, radioed to the Ryan dispatcher that he would be out of his
car checking a suspicious subject about 8:45 P.M. on Saturday, January 17,
1987. His only radio communication after that was the codes of “10-12”, which
meant he had someone in the car with him, and “10-23,” that he was in trouble.
His patrol car was found partly submerged in a creek about a mile southeast of
town. Five hours later his wet and frozen body was found in a snow-covered, icy
field a quarter-mile from the car. He had not taken his two-way radio or his
gloves and his uniform coat was unzipped when he was found. Witnesses stated
that Williams had been seen talking to a man with red and white striped paint on
his face just before 9 P.M. Reece Alton Hicks was charged with kidnapping and
murder.