The family of Caleb Wilson is one step closer to justice after an indictment of five men in his alleged hazing death. The grand jury is still deliberating on whether to charge a sixth suspect in the Southern University student’s passing during an off-campus event for the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
The controversial criminal case is moving forward with multiple arrests and new charges related to the alleged ritual gone wrong. Wilson was a junior and member of the renowned Human Jukebox Marching Band with a bright future as a mechanical engineering major. WAFB reports that an East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury handed down five indictments.
Police arrested fraternity members Caleb McCray, Kyle Thurman, and Isaiah Smith in March. This took place only a few weeks after the 20-year-old collapsed from multiple blows to the chest for a “hazing ritual,” according to court documents.
The orgianization later stripped all three men of membership and Southern University expelled the Beta Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi from campus.
With allegations of delivering the series of punches that led to Wilson’s collapse and subsequent death, on Dec. 10, McCray received the most severe charges of manslaughter and principal to felony hazing.
The grand jury indicted Thurman for felony hazing and three counts of obstruction of justice, and Smith for principal to manslaughter, principal to felony hazing, and obstruction of justice.
“We are continuing to investigate. The main thing are telephones that are being downloaded and other evidence and then hopefully cooperation of people that are now indicted,” said District Attorney Hillar Moore.
Two New Suspects Identified And Charged For Caleb Wilson’s Death
That same day, warrants were issued for new suspects, Winston Sanders, 22, and Jaydn Landrum, 24. Sanders was arrested on Dec. 11 and indicted for principal to felony hazing and two counts of obstruction of justice.
Landrum, indicted by the grand jury for principal to felony hazing, has not yet been arrested.
A sixth suspect, Jaelyn Grissom, 21, may also face charges as more evidence comes forward, but the grand jury has not yet decided to indict.
Wilson’s fellow alleged pledges, who participated in the same ritual that night, were indicted with misdemeanor hazing charges.
The Wilson family attended the court proceedings with their attorney Rob Marionneaux.
“Rather than call the authorities once they realized something bad was going on with Caleb, what did they do? Change his clothes, come up with a story and drop him on the steps of the hospital,” Marionneaux said.
In September, the Wilsons filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the national Omega Psi Phi fraternity and its local chapters at the school, the state of Louisiana, Southern University, and a dozen people reportedly connected to the events that led to Wilson’s death, according to WAFB.
