To Whom It May Concern; July 15, 2024

Re: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed (RUST Movie Armorer)

The purpose of this article is to petition financial help for a freedom loving American family that has been victimized and destroyed financially by a prejudice court system and a prosecuting attorney that lied, withheld evidence and intentionally covered up facts. This has also resulted in an innocent person going to prison.

On October 21, 2021, during the filming of the movie “Rust” on location in Bonanza City, New Mexico, an unknown person placed a live cartridge into a Pietta SAA pattern revolver chambered in 45 Colt being used as a prop gun. Extreme anti-constitutionalist, anti-Second Amendment activist and Hollywood elitist Alec Baldwin was both actor and producer of the movie. While filming inside a church, Baldwin cocked the gun, pointed it directly at Halyna Hutchins and pulled the trigger after the director had ordered the filming to stop. The bullet tragically killed cinematographer Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Baldwin later claimed (on national television) that he did not pull the trigger. However, the FBI carefully examined the gun and found that it was functioning 100% correctly and that the trigger had to be pulled for the gun to fire. And the only way for that bullet to strike Hutchins was for the gun to be pointed directly at her! And prior to production Baldwin stated “…my gunplay-is all right at my fingertips at all times.” This certainly suggests that he claims to know how to shoot guns.

Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but the case against him was dismissed by the judge without prejudice on July 12, 2024 due to the prosecuting attorney concealing evidence from the defense. The hidden evidence was in regards to the live ammunition found on the set, which was also concealed from Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s defense team. If this evidence would have been included, Hannah would also have been exonerated. Most authorities consider this malicious prosecution and could result in the prosecutor going to prison!

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was hired as the Rust armorer and contracted to receive less than $8000 for her services. She was 24-years old at the time and is the daughter of legendary shooter and fast draw artist Thell Reed that has 50-years experience as a Hollywood armorer and has trained many famous actors how to correctly handle guns (more on Thell in a moment). According to Thell, Hannah grew up with guns, shooting and even worked with him many times. She gleaned skill, safety and firearms knowledge from her father. Furthermore, she attended 4 years of college at Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor Science degree and studied Film, resulting in her being a true professional to work in the motion picture industry. She has never been in trouble with the law and has no criminal history. Rust was her second job as head armorer.

As producer, Baldwin gave continual orders to the cast and crew and many stated that he had lost control and that the set was in continual chaos and disorganized. For example, he assigned Hannah Gutierrez-Reed to other prop duties and literally prevented her from doing her job. Armorer’s are supposed to load the gun with blanks, hand the gun to the actor, let the cinematographer shoot the scene and then take the gun back to reload etc. They are hired to control guns at all times and lock them up at night. However, on the day of the fatal shooting, Hannah was not even in the “church building” when the fatal shot was fire. And neither was she the one that handed Baldwin the gun that contained 5 dummy rounds and one live cartridge. In spite of being prevented from doing her job, she was charged criminally.

After the incident, Hannah was told by the prosecuting attorney that if she would pay for a lie detector test and pass, that she would not be prosecuted. She took the test and passed 100%, but the prosecutor lied and proceeded with charges. She was even falsely charged with tampering with evidence, but there was no supporting evidence and she was found not guilty. But she was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Clearly the prosecuting attorney was not seeking justice, rather was only fishing for any possible conviction.

As a result of the judge not allowing the jury to hear many facts, combined with the prosecution illegally concealing evidence, Hannah was convicted. Hannah’s case is currently in appeal, so those facts cannot be discussed today. Hannah was given the maximum sentence allowable by law and is approximately 3 months into her 18 month prison sentence.

Thell Reed is a true icon in the firearms industry that is held in high esteem-especially by those of us that love single action sixguns. He began shooting at age 7, but soon his father gave him a pair of Colt Single Action Army 45 Colt sixguns and told him to learn how to make a living with them. At a very young age he was competing in Jeff Cooper’s Big Bear Leatherslaps (that later became the South Western Combat Pistol League) held in Big Bear Lake, California. He competed against many world class shooters, but the top six were often Jeff Cooper, Jack Weaver, John Plahn, Elden Carl, Ray Chapman and Thell Reed, with Reed generally considered having the fastest draw of them all. He went on to compete in fast draw work where he set records and began offering exhibition shoots even in Japan. His fame really grew when Elmer Keith traveled to California to shoot with 20-year old Reed, watched his skills using live ammunition and recorded times with an official timer. Keith reported those results in the February 1964 issue of Guns & Ammo Magazine in an article titled “Thell Reed…All Time Wizard With A Sixgun!” From 1964 through 1970, Reed served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his time in the service, Reed returned to exhibition and fast draw shooting and soon began working as a trainer for many high profile actors and actresses and working as an Armorer for motion picture industry.

With his daughter Hannah being charged criminally, along with the high profile nature of this case, the attorney fees have been exorbitant. Thell is now 81 years old and has been forced to mortgage his home, sell guns and take on considerable debt to finance Hannah’s legal expenses. Her case is in appeal, but with very limited income, the Reed family is out of resources. And as we can all imagine, Thell and his wife Stacy are under tremendous stress and heartache due to their daughter being in prison. A Go Fund Me account was attempted, but that was denied claiming that Hannah is a “violent felon”, which is absurd!

We are petitioning for financial help from within the firearms industry and from anyone that can see the injustice of this case. Even small donations of $10, $20, $50 or more will be greatly appreciated! Venmo donations can be made directly to Thell Reed @Rugerreed1883. Companies and individuals that prefer to send checks, please make them payable to Thell Reed, but for the Reed family’s safety, please mail them to Brian Pearce at P.O. Box 36, New Plymouth, ID 83655. Words cannot express the Reed family’s gratitude for any contributions, which will help to finance Hannah’s appeal and overturn her conviction.

For questions you can contact Brian Pearce at 4570pearce@q.com