A 40-year-old Indiana man has been linked to the fatal shooting of Christopher Wilson Jr., a Yorktown High School football star who police say may have been mistaken for someone else.
Muncie police have completed a probable cause affidavit accusing Dairus T. Thompson II of aiding, inducing or causing murder in the Oct. 5 killing of 17-year-old Chris Wilson Jr., Deputy Chief Melissa Criswell said Friday, Oct. 23. The development was first reported by The Star Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office will determine whether to file formal charges against Thompson in Wilson’s death. Thompson remained jailed in Delaware County on Friday, Oct. 23.
According to the affidavit, investigators believe Wilson may have been caught in the middle of a feud involving people associated with Thompson and a 27-year-old Muncie man who resembled the teenager.
Wilson was found shot multiple times inside a vehicle in the 1400 block of East Cromer Avenue in Muncie early Monday, Oct. 5. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
“This is just one milestone in this investigation as our department continues to fervently work on this case,” Criswell said Friday. “This is still an active, ongoing investigation.”
What investigators say happened
The affidavit states that the 27-year-old man had been feuding with individuals associated with Thompson, prompting police to respond to multiple reports of shots fired in the weeks before Wilson’s death.
Investigators said the man believed to have been the intended target of the shooting was known to frequent the area where Wilson was killed.
Wilson had gone to dinner with a female friend and was sitting with her in a vehicle outside her home when the shooting occurred. The woman was not struck by gunfire, according to the affidavit.
Police reviewing surveillance footage identified a white GMC Acadia matching the description of Thompson’s vehicle near the shooting scene. Investigators said the vehicle later traveled to Farmland, where Thompson lives.
According to the affidavit, cellphones seized from Thompson and a juvenile relative were also located near the shooting scene around the time of the homicide. Phone data indicated that Thompson and the juvenile were in the Parker City area shortly after, investigators said.
A review of the phones also uncovered a video that investigators said appeared to show Thompson providing step-by-step instructions on how to carry out a drive-by shooting.
The affidavit further states that a witness told police Thompson acknowledged after Wilson’s death that the teenager had been mistaken for the man with whom his associates had been feuding.
The allegations have not been adjudicated in court.
Who was Chris Wilson Jr.?
Can’t believe this man 💔💔one of the ones i started with can’t believe you gone man love you forever my brother #LLC#LLT#LLMM🫶🏾🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/YBUv5bbvk0
— Monshun “Showtime” Sales (@__1problem) October 5, 2026
Wilson was a senior at Yorktown High School and a standout football prospect who had committed to play for West Virginia in 2027.
His death prompted an investigation by Muncie police and drew attention to the loss of a young athlete preparing to continue his football career at the college level.
"The West Virginia Football program is heartbroken by the news of the tragic loss of Chris Wilson Jr. this morning," West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez said. "We really enjoyed getting to know Chris during the recruiting process. The WVU football program sends its heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Chris' family in this difficult time."
Thompson was previously arrested in another homicide case
Thompson was arrested Oct. 14 at his Farmland home in connection with a separate case involving a fatal shooting in Anderson, Indiana, on Sept. 6.
He was charged in Madison County with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony that carries a potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison.
According to court documents, Anderson police had interviewed Thompson while investigating the death of 31-year-old Tomerious Smoots, who was fatally shot outside a nightclub on the city’s west side.
During that interview, Thompson reportedly acknowledged that his DNA could be recovered from a handgun found inside a vehicle, although he said he was not the registered owner of the firearm, according to court documents.
Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his criminal record, which includes a 2019 Michigan conviction for dealing or manufacturing a controlled substance, the documents state.
A 17-year-old Anderson youth has been charged with murder and other offenses in Smoots’ death.
Muncie police assisted in Thompson’s arrest in the Anderson case. The investigation into Wilson’s killing remains active.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @AlexMartinUSAT or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police link Indiana man to killing of high school football star Chris Wilson Jr.