In the early morning hours of September 30, 2017, a celebration turned into a tragedy for Victor Buddy Wilson Jr., a 40-year-old male from Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Wilson, a hardworking produce manager at an Acme Market, was out celebrating a recent promotion at The Malibu Club in South Coatesville. Just after 2:00 a.m., shortly after his arrival, an argument erupted between Wilson and another man at the entrance of the club.
The dispute quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
The other man, identified as 28-year-old Dominic 'Buddha' Poulson, was reportedly an associate of a criminal organization known as the 'Cut Throat Family.' During the scuffle, Wilson pushed Poulson to the ground. Witnesses later told investigators that the two had agreed to a 'fair' fistfight outside to settle the matter. However, the encounter took a deadly turn when Poulson produced a handgun he was not licensed to carry and shot the unarmed Wilson multiple times. After Wilson fell to the street, Poulson stood over his body and fired several more shots before fleeing the scene. An autopsy would later reveal that Victor Wilson had been shot five times, with wounds to his head and torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Wilson's death led authorities to Dominic Poulson, who was identified by multiple witnesses. His distinctive tattoos, including 'CTF' for Cut Throat Family on his neck and face, aided in his identification. A sweatshirt from the same criminal organization was also found in the area where he fled. More than three months after the shooting, in January 2018, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced the arrest of Poulson, charging him with first-degree murder and related offenses. Authorities described the motive as Poulson feeling 'disrespected' after being pushed during the initial argument.
Dominic Poulson's case went to trial, where his defense attorney argued that the shooting was in self-defense, claiming Poulson believed Wilson was reaching for a box cutter. However, prosecutors pointed out that no such weapon was found at the scene. In March 2020, a jury found Poulson guilty of third-degree murder and carrying a gun without a license. He was subsequently sentenced to serve 20 to 40 years in prison for the killing that began as a nightclub shoving match and ended in a senseless loss of life.
