An argument at a gas station on the west side of Indianapolis on August 10, 2021, escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 18-year-old Michael Simmons. The male victim was at a gas station in the 7900 block of West 10th Street when a man, later identified as Derice Wilson, approached him. Security footage from the gas station captured the moments that followed, showing a brief conversation between the two before Wilson fired multiple shots at Simmons.
Critically wounded,
Simmons attempted to drive away but struck a landscape rock across the street. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. The video evidence was crucial in the investigation, allowing detectives to quickly identify Wilson as the shooter.
Following the shooting, Wilson fled the scene. With the help of Yashika Clowers, he traveled from Indiana to Florida. A joint effort between the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's Violent Crime Unit and the U.S. Marshals led to the apprehension of both Wilson and Clowers in Florida on August 20, 2021. Wilson was extradited back to Indiana to stand trial for murder.
A jury found Derice Wilson guilty of murder and carrying a handgun without a license after deliberating for about 45 minutes. He was subsequently sentenced to 68 years in prison. Yashika Clowers pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal, a Level 5 felony, for her role in helping Wilson flee after the murder.
