Toledo teenager arraigned on murder, assault charges

Davion Wilson sits next to his mother, Martina Wilson, during his hearing in Lucas County Juvenile Court. Young Wilson is charged in the shooting death of 17-year-old Deadrick Rocker on Friday.

Someone seemed to want to get back at Davion Wilson. They shot up his house. Torched it.

They did it all before the 16-year-old from Toledo was officially named a suspect in Friday's shooting of two teens that left Deadrick Rocker, 17, dead.

"We're trying to figure it out [if it's retaliation]," police Sgt. Joe Heffernan said. "It's hard to say. Right now, we're just trying to figure all that stuff out."

Young Wilson, a student at Achieve Career Preparatory Academy, was arraigned Wednesday in Lucas County Juvenile Court on one count each of murder and felonious assault. On his behalf, Judge Denise Navarre Cubbon entered a plea of not guilty and said he would be appointed an attorney. She ordered him held in detention because of the seriousness of the offense.

Lori Olender, a juvenile prosecutor, said she will file a motion for young Wilson to be tried as an adult on the murder charge.

The judge said he would be tried in common pleas court; Jan. 12 and 25 hearings were scheduled.

During the shooting, which was reported to police about 11:50 p.m. Friday, at least 10 shots were fired. Police have not released the name of a 16-year-old who was shot and critically wounded, saying he's a witness in the case.

During young Wilson's arraignment, Ms. Olender said the 16-year-old was still in the hospital, where he is being treated for five gunshot wounds. Shanikqua Jones, 18, a friend of the victims, said the boy was shot in the back and, on Tuesday, was again taken into surgery.

Young Rocker, who was at least an acquaintance of the Wilson youth, was also shot five times, county Deputy Coroner Dr. Cynthia Beisser said. He was struck in his chest, arms, and legs -- killed by the wound to the chest.

Before midnight Friday, young Wilson was like a lot of 16-year-olds, a neighbor, Josephine Davis, said. He was into playing basketball on the street with the other boys in his neighborhood; he went to school.

Ms. Olender said young Wilson had a "limited background" in juvenile court and no prior felony offenses.

A records request filed with Deb Hodges, juvenile court administrator, for his record has not been fulfilled.

Young Wilson, his hands cuffed, sat close to his mother during his arraignment. He didn't say much, only giving brief answers to the judge.

Before deputies led him back to the detention center, Martina Wilson leaned over to kiss her son. She declined comment until she talked with an attorney.

Ms. Davis, who lives down the street from the Wilsons, said Davion was "always respectful" to her. Hearing about the shooting and his arrest was surprising and brought back bad memories.

Her youngest child, Dana Davis, was 16 when he was murdered in the central city in 1992. "My heart went out to [Martina]," she said. "For either side [the victim's family and the suspect's family], it's a loss."

The Wilsons' home at 1260 Buckingham St. was shot at hours after the fatal shooting. About 2:26 a.m. New Year's Eve, Davion's brother, Qutwan Wilson, 19, told police he heard a group of people outside the home. His cell phone rang. The number was restricted.

There was a banging on the door, then gunshots.

Police found 12 casings from a 40-caliber firearm in the street. Eight bullets struck the house, officers said.

Later that morning, someone intentionally set fire to the porch. No one was hurt in either the shoot-up of the house or the fire.

Fire Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld said the fire has been ruled arson. Damage, he said, was limited to the outside of the structure. "It's obvious someone was trying to do something," he said.

There was no answer at the home Wednesday. Charred siding and glass from a broken window littered the front porch. Taped to the door was a quote from nationally known Evangelical pastor and author Charles Swindoll: "The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude."

Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com or 419-724-6054.