Gerard Wilson Jr. was a 25-year-old father to a son, Maverick Wilson-King, and was engaged to be married. He was survived by his father, Gerard Wilson Sr., and several siblings. His life was cut short in the early hours of Wednesday, June 7, 2023, when gunfire shattered the quiet of a residential street in Sulphur, Louisiana.
Shortly after midnight, the Sulphur Police Department received numerous 911 calls reporting shots fired in the 600 block of W. Verdine Street. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Gerard Wilson Jr., a Black man, deceased in the front yard of a home. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Inside the residence, police discovered another man, Andre Cornelius of Houston, Texas, who had also been shot multiple times. He was transported to a local hospital where he was listed in critical but stable condition.
During the investigation, authorities learned of a third victim connected to the incident.
A man identified as Nicholas Brown was dropped off at the entrance of a nearby hospital, also suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police believed he was involved in the same event that claimed Wilson’s life. The investigation progressed quickly, and on June 9, 2023, Sulphur Police arrested Connor Guillot, 26, in connection with the homicide. He was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder.
A second arrest followed a few days later. On the evening of Monday, June 12, police arrested 26-year-old Kardae Vyntrel Caldwell of Lake Charles. He was charged with first-degree murder for his alleged role in the shooting death of Gerard Wilson Jr. Caldwell also faced unrelated drug and contempt of court charges. As of June 2023, the investigation was active. Law enforcement asked anyone with pertinent information to contact Detective Duplechin or the Sulphur Police Department at (337) 527-4536.
