Southern University Expels Omega Psi Phi After Hazing Death of Student Caleb Wilson

Southern University has officially expelled the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. from campus following the hazing-related death of 20-year-old mechanical engineering student and talented trumpet player Caleb Wilson. The expulsion, announced on July 18th, had actually been in effect since April 24th, after a thorough investigation by the university’s Division of Student Affairs.

Wilson collapsed during a fraternity initiation ritual inside a Baton Rouge warehouse and later died from his injuries. Initially, fraternity members falsely claimed he’d hurt himself playing basketball at a park and dropped him off at the hospital wearing only socks and sweatpants. However, the investigation uncovered that pledges were “subjected to repeated punches to the chest during a fraternity initiation ritual.”

The Beta Sigma chapter of Omega Psi Phi has now lost all recognition as a student organization and must remove all fraternity symbols on campus, including plots, benches, monuments, and trees. The university emphasized its action underscores its commitment to student safety and well‑being.

Three fraternity members, Caleb McCray (24), Kyle Thurman (25), and Isaiah Smith (29), have been arrested. All three face criminal hazing charges, and McCray is also charged with manslaughter, accused of delivering the fatal blows. Police reports reveal that pledges were lined up and punched four times in the chest while wearing black boxing gloves recovered from the scene.

Isaiah Smith, the chapter’s dean of pledges, organized the events that led to Wilson’s death. His father, Todd Smith, leased the warehouse for his business, California Hardwood Floors. As these legal proceedings develop, the Southern community reflects on the tragic loss of a promising young life and the dangers of hazing.