SULLIVAN COUNTY, Ind. — Two men are facing additional charges including murder for the shooting death of a 15-year-old who was killed in June during a dispute near the western border of the state.
Mezmariah Wilson, 15, of Shelburn, was shot and killed near Carlisle Elementary School on June 10, 2021. Authorities later arrested Kyle Johnson and Matthew Earle in connection with the teen's death.
On Monday, months after the shooting occurred, Indiana State Police announced Johnson and Earle's charges had been upgraded to include murder, attempted murder, carrying a handgun within 500 feet of school property and pointing a firearm.
The men were initially charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice for their roles in the shooting.
Sullivan County dispatch received a 911 call just after midnight June 10, reporting multiple gunshots fired near Lewis and Ledgerwood streets in Carlisle, which is right by Carlisle Elementary School.
Investigators said there was a large gathering between two groups at an intersection in the area. Police thought a fight was about to break out when one person pulled out a gun and shot in the direction of the opposing group, hitting Wilson.
When officers arrived, they found Wilson with a gunshot wound to the upper body. The teen was initially taken to a hospital in Sullivan then later airlifted to a hospital in Indianapolis, where she died.
Johnson and Earle were identified as persons of interest in the shooting and they were arrested two days later.
Since the shooting, ISP said detectives have been actively investigating the shooting.
When their charges were upgraded, both men were already being held in jail for the original charges filed against them. Now, they will be held without bond.
