Man Charged with Manslaughter After Student, 20, Died in Alleged Off-Campus Fraternity Hazing

A man has been charged with manslaughter after “turning himself in” following the off-campus death of Caleb Wilson at a fraternity event last month.

On Friday, March 7, the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) in Louisiana announced at a news conference that, amid the “active and ongoing investigation” into Wilson’s death, suspect Caleb McCray had been booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter after “turning himself in” with an attorney the night before.

Per WAFB and WDSU, McCray’s bond was set at $75,000 for the manslaughter charge and $25,000 for the hazing charge. WAFB reported that McCray, a 23-year-old graduate of Southern University and a member of Omega Psi Phi, was released on bond before 10 p.m. local time on March 7.

More arrests are “forthcoming,” Chief TJ Morse shared during the news conference, which the police department shared on Facebook.

The BRPD was “drawing up warrants” for two additional suspects as of the news conference on March 7, Morse revealed, and “working with their attorneys to turn themselves in.”

Per police, Wilson died “as a direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times” while pledging the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

ABC News reported that McCray was among at least three people alleged to have punched Wilson and other recruits with boxing gloves during a Feb. 26 meeting, citing an arrest affidavit, which claims McCray punched Wilson four times before he became unresponsive and appeared to have a seizure.

The BRPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Saturday, March 8.

McCray’s arrest comes weeks after Wilson — a mechanical engineering junior at Southern University and A&M College — died on the morning of Feb. 27 after being taken to Baton Rouge General Hospital by friends, CBS affiliate WFAB and NBC affiliate WVLA previously reported.

At the time, Southern and A&M Chancellor John K. Pierre said in a statement that “an off-campus incident is believed to have contributed to Caleb’s death.”

Wilson’s family has since said in a statement to WFAB and NBC affiliate WDSU that they are “committed to seeking the truth about the circumstances surrounding Caleb’s passing and ensuring that no other family has to endure such a tragedy.”

A conviction of felony manslaughter could result in a prison sentence of up to 40 years, authorities said on March 7.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, McCray’s lawyer, Phillip M. Robinson, said that “it is essential to remember that an accusation is not proof of guilt” and noted that he has “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,” he wrote.

Robinson also offered his “deepest condolences to the Wilson family” and said that his office was “thoroughly reviewing all evidence and circumstances surrounding” the case. “We are committed to ensuring that all facts are properly examined and that due process is followed,” he wrote. “Many details being reported in the media may be incomplete, false or lack proper context.”

Robinson added: “Mr. McCray and his family will not be making public statements during this difficult time. We ask that their privacy be respected as the legal proceedings move forward.”

The investigation that has followed has since involved interviews with “over a dozen people” and “multiple search warrants,” Chief Morse said on March 7, noting that while the people who dropped Wilson off at the hospital said he “collapsed while playing basketball,” officials later discovered the incident took place at a warehouse.

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“We’ll be updating the media and the community as these arrests occur,” Morse said. “I ask that you keep this family in your prayers as your Baton Rouge Police Department continues to investigate and tries to bring answers to this family about what happened to Caleb — and arrest those that are responsible.”

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards said during the March 7 news conference that he had a “private meeting” with Wilson’s family, while Dennis Shields, president of the Southern University System, added that the community’s “collective thoughts and prayers continue to be with Caleb’s family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved him.”

“The university will continue to fully and actively cooperate with law enforcement as this case moves forward,” Shields said, noting that the Baton Rouge chapter of the fraternity has been “ordered to cease all activities,” with “every campus Greek organization” being informed that no additional “membership intake can occur” until at least the end of the academic year.

“The loss of Caleb has left an unimaginable void in our hearts, but your kindness and compassion have provided some solace,” Wilson’s family said in a recent statement to local media. “Caleb was a bright and talented young man with a promising future ahead of him.” 

The family added, “His passion for life, his dedication to his studies and his love for music and the Southern University ‘Human Jukebox’ Marching Band were just a few of the many qualities that made him an extraordinary person.”