A Southern University in Louisiana graduate has been charged after he “turned himself in” for the violent hazing death of pledge and beloved marching band member Caleb Wilson — with police warning that more arrests are coming.
Caleb McCray, 23, faces manslaughter and criminal hazing charges for allegedly repeatedly punching Wilson in the chest with boxing gloves during the Feb. 21 ritual, causing a fatal seizure, Baton Rouge Police said at a Friday press conference.
“Caleb McCray turned himself in with his attorney and was booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison,” Chief TJ Morse said.
“We have two additional suspects that we are drawing up warrants for and working with their attorneys to turn themselves in.”
McCray is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity that Wilson, 20, was attempting to join when he was killed. He graduated from Southern University in December 2024 and is a Louisiana Army National Guard member, according to ABC News.
He was released from prison Friday after making $75,000 bond.
Morse indicated that McCray and the other two unidentified suspects could face additional charges for lying to police. A group of students dropped Wilson off at a hospital and allegedly told staff he had collapsed after being struck in the chest with a basketball, an arrest affidavit shows.
Suspicious of their explanation, hospital officials contacted Baton Rouge police, but the fraternity brothers fled before cops arrived.
An investigation determined the men had never been at the local park playing ball as they said, but were instead inside a warehouse carrying out a violent hazing ritual on nine pledges for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
McCray and at least two others wore boxing gloves and repeatedly struck the victims, with McCray allegedly striking Wilson four times in the chest. Wilson collapsed, suffered a seizure and lost control of his bodily functions, according to an affidavit.
The fraternity brothers allegedly swapped the gray sweatpants Wilson was wearing — which all the pledges were made to wear — for a black pair before rushing him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Morse emphasized that Wilson died “as a direct result of a hazing incident.”
An autopsy later revealed that Wilson suffered no significant trauma to his body, aside from a small bruise on the right side of his chest. Police said Friday that there is no indication that McCray intended to “cause death or great bodily harm to any of the pledges.”
A lawyer for McCray maintained the graduate’s innocence, asking that the public not rush to judgment regarding the case, which has sparked widespread outrage.
“The charges brought against Mr. Caleb McCray are serious, and we acknowledge the gravity of this matter. However, it is essential to remember that an accusation is not proof of guilt. At this time, I have not been presented with any evidence to support such serious accusations. I maintain my client’s innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all the evidence is heard,” Phillip M. Robinson said in a statement.
“We are committed to ensuring that all facts are properly examined and that due process is followed. Many details being reported in the media may be incomplete, false, or lack proper context.”
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