UPDATE – JAN. 20, 2026:
All five men charged in connection with the Feb. 2025 death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson pleaded not guilty in court Thursday.
According to Baton Rouge Police, Wilson and eight additional Omega Psi Phi pledges were lined up for a ritual in which McCray and others punched the pledges in the chest with boxing gloves. Wilson had a seizure when he was punched and later died. The incident occurred in a warehouse that was leased by Smith’s father.
The five men are due in court April 28.
UPDATE – DEC. 11, 2025:
A grand jury indicted five men in the hazing death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson, WBRZ reports.
Isaiah Earl Smith, 29, Caleb McCray, 24, and Kyle Thurman, 25, were arrested in March following an investigation into the Feb. 27 incident. They were each indicted Wednesday on felony hazing charges. McCray was also indicted on a charge of manslaughter, Smith was indicted for principal to manslaughter and obstruction of justice, and Thurman was indicted for obstruction of justice.
Two others, Winston Craig Sanders, 22, and Jadyn Landrum, 24, were also indicted on principal to felony hazing and obstruction of justice.
Baton Rouge Police say the alleged hazing took place at a warehouse that was leased by Smith’s father. The suspects allegedly lined up Wilson and eight other Omega Psi Phi pledges and took turns repeatedly punching them in the chest with a pair of boxing gloves. Wilson collapsed after he was punched and had a seizure. Instead of calling 911, fraternity members allegedly waited to take Wilson to the hospital and initially told authorities that he had collapsed in a local park.
UPDATE – MARCH 12, 2025:
Two more suspects have been arrested in the suspected hazing death of Caleb Wilson in February.
Kyle Thurman, 25, was captured on Monday, and Isiah Smith, 28, turned himself into police on Tuesday, reports The Guardian. Smith’s father reportedly leased the warehouse where Wilson died, reports WAFB. Thurman and Smith face criminal hazing charges.
All three of the suspects, including Caleb McCray, 23, who is facing criminal hazing and manslaughter charges, were all Southern University students at the time of the incident. In addition to criminal charges, the men will face disciplinary proceedings at the school, which could result in them being expelled.
UPDATE – MARCH 10, 2025:
A Southern University student has been charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter following the possible hazing death of Caleb Wilson last month.
The Baton Rouge Police Department announced on Friday that Caleb McCray, 23, was arrested, reports WAFB. Two others are also facing charges, but their identities have not been released to the public.
ORIGINAL MARCH 7, 2025 ARTICLE:
BATON ROUGE, La. – Authorities are investigating the death of Caleb Wilson, a 20-year-old junior at Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, as the possible result of fraternity hazing activity.
Wilson, a mechanical engineering student and member of the university’s acclaimed “Human Jukebox” marching band, died on February 27. Initial accounts suggested he collapsed at a Baton Rouge park during a pledging event for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; however, new information indicates that narrative was fabricated.
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Sources close to the investigation revealed to WAFB that Wilson was at a warehouse in Baton Rouge during an unsanctioned fraternity ritual when the incident occurred. According to these sources, pledges stood in a line and were allegedly forced to take blows to the chest. Wilson was reportedly struck, collapsed to the ground, and began having a seizure.
The sources further detailed that fraternity members transported Wilson to Baton Rouge General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Following Wilson’s death, fraternity members gathered at an undisclosed location and allegedly constructed the false account of events, telling authorities that Wilson had collapsed at a park.
Southern University Suspends Greek Life Pledging Activities, Cooperates with Police
The ongoing investigation is being led by the Baton Rouge Police Department, with the coroner’s office still working to determine the official cause of Wilson’s death.
Southern University Chancellor John K. Pierre has confirmed in a Facebook post that “an off-campus incident is believed to have contributed to Caleb’s death.” He stated, “This tragic loss leaves a void in our Jaguar family, and our thoughts and prayers are with Caleb’s family, friends, classmates, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
Related Article: Court Rules Washington State University Owed ‘Duty of Care’ to Student Who Died of Hazing
Pierre added that the university is fully cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.
The university has since suspended all club recruiting activities, including those related to Greek life, as a precaution to ensure student safety.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity also released a statement expressing its intent to cooperate with authorities. “We have been informed that the local authorities have launched an investigation into this tragic incident,” the fraternity stated on February 28. “We have extended ourselves to them and are ready to assist in any way possible during this difficult time.”
Law enforcement officials and university leaders continue to urge anyone with information about the events leading up to Wilson’s death to come forward.
