A Wilson County man was found guilty on Friday of recklessly killing a Mt Juliet teen. Caleb Mershon, 22, was convicted by a Wilson County jury of five men and seven women of recklessly killing Austin Gordon in September of 2022. Proof at trial established that Mershon and Gordon were friends and were celebrating Gordon’s nineteenth birthday when Mershon unintentionally shot Gordon, resulting in his death. Prosecutors introduced evidence that Mershon was intoxicated and showed extreme recklessly with a handgun, pointing the gun at multiple other teens throughout the evening prior to the shooting. After the shooting Mershon attempted to render aid to Gordon without success.
A Wilson County jury comprised of five men and seven women deliberated for just under two hours before returning verdicts of guilt on the charges of Reckless Homicide, Reckless Aggravated Assault Resulting In Death, three counts of Reckless Endangerment, Possession of a Firearm While Intoxicated, and Underage Consumption of Alcohol.
“This is a terribly tragic case of a person treating a gun as a toy while intoxicated,” said District Attorney Jason Lawson. “There was never any question that the defendant did not intend to shoot his friend, but his reckless behavior with that gun cost Austin his life and has forever changed the lives of many people. Those are actions that Caleb Mershon must be held responsible for,” said Lawson.
The trial began on Wednesday as Lawson and Deputy District Attorney Justin Harris called to the witness stand first responders, a neighbor who rendered aid, and Gordon’s mother. On Thursday the jury heard from six teen witnesses who observed the events of the night and also heard from Wilson County Sheriff Office Detective Matthew Smith who investigated the case. On Friday morning, professionals from the TBI crime laboratory and the Medical Examiner’s office testified to close the state’s proof. Only Mershon himself testified in his defense.
“A case such as this shows the expertise of many professionals whose work proves the case,” said Lawson. “Detective Smith is the consummate professional in investigating and collecting the evidence. Three experts from the TBI crime lab and a forensic pathologist at the M.E.’s office interpreted the evidence for us. I believe the most important evidence in the case was the videos recovered from Snapchat and cell phones which showed the behavior of the defendant with the gun that night. Detective Smith’s recovery of those videos gave the jury a front row seat to the recklessness of the defendant leading up to the fatal shooting.”
Mershon is set for sentencing on September 10. The punishment will be decided by the trial judge, with a minimum penalty of two years and a maximum penalty of sixteen years