An Indiana teenager already in jail for one alleged murder has now been accused of a second homicide.
Xavier G. Velez, 18, of Fort Wayne, had been charged with murder in the November 2024 shooting death of 18-year-old Corben Scott Cornett, the Journal Gazette reported. Now, Velez is also being charged with the August 2024 shooting of Parker Billman. Billman was shot numerous times at a gas station.
Previously, Desmond D.S. Carswell was charged in Billman's shooting, but that case has since been dismissed. Police now contend that Velez was with Carswell at the time of the incident and was the killer, 21 Alive News reported.
According to 21 Alive News, Carswell confirmed to police he was at the scene, but would not say who had shot Billman, except to say "X" or "Xday," which were both nicknames for Velez. Police have since said that Carswell told them he did not actually see the shooting but spoke with Velez after, the station reported.
The station also reported that a witness sent police a video in which Velez he says Carswell is innocent and claiming responsibility for the shooting. Velez also told people that he had acted in self-defense and feared for his life.
"I lashed out in an ignorant way," Velez is reported to have said in the video.
