40-Year-Old Man Held Without Bond Over Death of Committed WVU Football Star
Court records indicate investigators believe the suspect coordinated the shooting of a 17-year-old who was targeted by mistake.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Delaware Circuit Court 1 Judge denied bond for Dairus Thompson II on Monday, keeping the 40-year-old Farmland resident in custody following his initial appearance. Thompson faces charges of aiding, inducing or causing murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and obstruction of justice. The murder count carries a potential maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
The charges relate to the October 5 killing of Christopher Wilson Jr., a 17-year-old defensive end at Yorktown High School. Wilson had signed a commitment to play football at West Virginia University. He died at the scene after being shot multiple times while sitting in a vehicle with a female friend in the 1400 block of East Cromer Avenue in Muncie.
Court documents state that investigators believe Wilson was the victim of mistaken identity. Police believe he was confused with a 27-year-old Muncie man who had a prior dispute with associates of Thompson. Records indicate Thompson helped coordinate the attack by driving a vehicle used before and after the gunfire. Cellphone data and surveillance video also linked Thompson to a juvenile in connection with the shooting.
Thompson’s son, 17-year-old Dairus Thompson III, has also been charged in the case. Investigators believe the younger Thompson was the shooter. During Monday's hearing, Thompson said he intends to hire a private attorney. The court is currently arranging for a public defender to represent him in the interim. The judge noted that Thompson is unemployed, receives disability benefits, and is the father of six children, including one stepchild. His next hearing is set for 9 a.m. on December 14, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for January 27 and a jury trial for April 6.
