Relatives identified the pair as Corkney “CJ” Morgan Jr. and Meghan “Meme” Wiekerson; investigators say the fire was set.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Two people were shot and killed inside a burning home on the city’s east side late Thursday morning, Thanksgiving Day, in the 3700 block of North Audubon Road. Police said firefighters found the victims while responding to the house fire around 10:20 a.m., and homicide detectives later took over the scene.
Relatives and friends identified the victims as Corkney “CJ” Morgan Jr. and Meghan “Meme” Wiekerson. Investigators said a man died at the house and a woman died after being taken to a hospital. Two young children were found inside and removed to safety; the state’s Department of Child Services took custody pending family placement. The fire was classified as arson, and detectives are examining whether a police pursuit later Thursday could be tied to the killings. The case pushes the city into a complex holiday investigation with potential evidence spread across multiple jurisdictions.
Fire crews were dispatched just after 10:15 a.m. Thursday to reports of a house fire near East 38th Street and North Arlington Avenue. When firefighters entered the Audubon Road home, they located an adult man and an adult woman with injuries “consistent with gunshot wounds,” police said. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene; the woman was rushed in critical condition and later died. Officers also located two young children inside and escorted them out of the house to awaiting medics. “Anytime you lose a loved one, it’s hard, but this is one of those days that should be so full of joy,” Officer Tommy Thompson said at the scene. “No family on these holidays should be going through what this family is going through right now,” Thompson said.
Friends and relatives who gathered outside the police tape identified the adults as Morgan and Wiekerson and said the couple lived at the address. Detectives have not announced official identifications from the coroner, and the exact ages of the victims were not immediately available. Investigators said the home showed signs of intentional fire-setting and that the fire’s point of origin is under review by the Indianapolis Fire Department. Police have not said what kind of firearm was used or how many shots were fired. Detectives canvassed the block for doorbell and security camera footage and asked neighbors about vehicles seen leaving before sirens arrived. Officers marked evidence on the front walk and driveway while crime scene technicians photographed rooms inside the home after the fire was controlled.
By late afternoon Thursday, police in Whitestown reported a pursuit on I-65 involving a white Dodge Charger that began after a reckless driving call and an attempted traffic stop. The chase continued north into Tippecanoe County, where state police deployed tire-deflation devices near mile marker 168. The driver crashed and was taken into custody after officers extracted the person from the vehicle; the driver was transported to a hospital with crash-related injuries. Indianapolis detectives said they are exploring whether that pursuit is connected to the Audubon Road homicides but have not announced a definitive link. Officials did not release the driver’s name or condition Thursday night, and no charges tied to the shooting had been filed as of Friday morning.
Public records show the Audubon Road block of modest single-family homes sits a few turns east of historic Irvington, where many residents decorate early for the holidays. Neighbors said sirens converged quickly and smoke rose above the tree line before crews knocked back the flames. The Indianapolis Fire Department listed the incident as arson and turned over shooting-related evidence to homicide detectives for processing. Police said they would wait for autopsy findings to confirm the causes and manner of death; final determinations will come from the Marion County Coroner. As of Friday, detectives had not publicly discussed a motive. Investigators also did not say whether there were prior calls for service to the address this month or if any protective orders were on file involving either adult.
Detectives said the investigation will proceed on two tracks: the double-homicide case led by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police and the arson case led by fire investigators, with support from federal partners if needed. Evidence from the Whitestown pursuit, including crash-scene photos and the car’s contents, will be reviewed for any links to the east-side crime scene. Police said any potential weapons recovered will be sent to a lab for ballistics testing. The coroner is expected to release official identifications and preliminary autopsy results once next-of-kin notifications are complete. If prosecutors determine probable cause from the pursuit is related to the killings, an initial court appearance could be scheduled early next week; otherwise, the two cases will remain separate while investigators compare timelines.
On the block Thursday afternoon, relatives hugged along the curb while detectives worked behind tape. “I can’t imagine being these two little kids going through this,” Thompson said, noting that victim advocates were coordinating with child services. A neighbor described hearing a loud pop before seeing smoke drift across yards, then firefighters rush in. Another resident said the couple kept to themselves but often waved during school-bus drop-offs. As temperatures fell, investigators carried paper bags of evidence to vans and used flashlights to examine the entryway. By evening, the home’s windows were blackened, and a faint smell of smoke lingered as officers rotated on perimeter posts.
As of Friday in Indianapolis, police had not announced arrests tied directly to the Audubon Road shooting and arson, and the coroner had not issued final identifications. Detectives said updates could come after autopsies and lab processing. Officials plan to review any findings from the interstate pursuit for relevance to the case. The next expected milestone is the coroner’s release of names and preliminary results, which could come this weekend.
Author note: Last updated November 29, 2025.