Jury finds man guilty of murder in 2023 shooting at party near downtown

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – A jury in Allen Superior Court found a 19-year-old man guilty of murder Friday in connection with a killing at a house party just northwest of downtown Fort Wayne late last year.

Charles Sauge Blair now faces up to 87 1/2 years in prison for the shooting death of 23-year-old Nilan Joric Zyan Pearson.

Blair had been accused of shooting Pearson in the chest as the two argued outside a home in the area of Sherman Boulevard and Margaret Avenue on Dec. 12, according to Allen Superior Court documents.

A birthday party both men had attended at the home was taking place at the time, court documents said.

Multiple witnesses told Fort Wayne police investigators that Blair and another man came to the party with two underage girls, according to court documents.

The group “had bad energy,” one witness told police in court documents, and were asked to leave.

While few specifics about what the group was actually doing were given, one witness said the girls were acting “unruly.” Another witness who worked security at the party and searched guests for weapons said in court documents Blair was introduced as someone who shot at a police officer as a 13-year-old and just got out of jail.

Blair and his friend began to leave the party at about 1:30 a.m. but without one of the girls who came with them, according to court documents.

Others at the party wanted Blair to take the girl with him.

While Blair and his friend sat in a car outside the home, Pearson and at least one other man left the home to approach them about leaving the girl behind. As they did so, several partygoers stood outside the home watching, court documents said.

Multiple people later told police words were exchanged between Pearson and Blair, who was sitting in the backseat while Pearson stood outside the car. Many of those people later told investigators they saw Blair fire a gun at Pearson, who ended up shot in the chest.

One witness told investigators in court documents Pearson punched Blair right before the shooting and other witnesses said in those same court documents they saw Blair shoot toward the house after shooting Pearson.

A man who claimed to be working security at the party fired a gun at Blair afterward, court documents said.

Pearson and another man ran from the scene on foot after the shooting and ended up at a nearby gas station where a Fort Wayne police officer happened to be, court documents said. Upon seeing a bloodied Pearson walk into the gas station, the officer rendered aid until medics arrived.

Pearson was pronounced dead at a local hospital and his death was ruled a homicide.

Officers pulled over Blair later that morning and took him into custody.

In an interview with detectives, Blair admitted to going to the party and having a verbal and physical altercation outside the home, court documents said. He also said he did not go to the party looking for trouble.

During the interview, detectives allowed Blair to use one of their cell phones to call his mother, who he put on speaker phone.

While speaking to his mother, Blair repeatedly said he was sorry and claimed he did everything in self-defense and that the detectives were not listening to him, court documents said.

“I asked Charles several direct questions about the shooting and he would only reply, ‘No comment,’” an investigator wrote in court documents. “Charles made several comments that he knew he was going to jail and was going away for a long time.”

Blair is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

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