Fort Wayne, Indiana — A 25-year-old Indiana man is in police custody after a violent confrontation turned deadly at a Fort Wayne apartment complex late Thursday night.
According to the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Draylon Marquise Crutchfield has been charged with one count of murder in connection to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Muhammad Williams, following a domestic dispute inside their shared residence.
The incident unfolded around 9 p.m. at an apartment on Stardale Drive in the Oakland Park neighborhood, prompting an emergency response from Fort Wayne Police.
Upon arrival, officers found Williams suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries, authorities confirmed.
Crutchfield was arrested at the scene and, according to law enforcement, spoke candidly about what transpired.
“Don’t be going to sleep on my mama’s couch,” Williams told the defendant, as Crutchfield allegedly recounted to investigators, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by local media outlets WPTA and WANE.
The verbal dispute reportedly escalated quickly. Crutchfield told police he initially ignored the demand, but Williams continued the verbal altercations. At the time, Williams was reportedly holding an infant, whom he later handed to another person in the apartment.
As tensions flared, Crutchfield said he held a knife in his hand and issued a warning: “Don’t run up on me bro, don’t run up on me man.”
Still, according to the affidavit, Williams allegedly responded with increasing hostility: “I finna beat the s– out of you man. I’ve been waiting on this s–.”
Crutchfield claimed Williams then punched him multiple times in the head, causing his vision to blur. In the heat of the moment, Crutchfield admitted to stabbing Williams an unknown number of times in what he described as an act of self-defense.
After the stabbing, Crutchfield followed the victim outside, still holding the bloodied kitchen knife. Neighbors reported seeing him visibly shaken and covered in blood.
He allegedly confessed to nearby residents, explaining that he had stabbed Williams only after being repeatedly struck.
According to the affidavit, a witness present during the incident stated: “The fight did not last longer than three seconds before Draylon had stabbed Muhammad.”
Subsequent investigations revealed that Crutchfield and Williams were roommates, adding complexity to the case, which may touch on domestic violence and stand-your-ground defense legal angles.
Crutchfield is currently being held at the Allen County Confinement Facility without bond. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on July 28, where further legal arguments and potential claims of self-defense may be introduced.