Indianapolis authorities are investigating a Thanksgiving morning incident on the city’s east side after firefighters responding to a house fire discovered two deceased adults inside the residence. One of the individuals has been identified as Mercedes Wilkerson.
Fire crews were dispatched around 10:17 a.m. to a home on North Audubon Road following multiple reports of a residential fire. When firefighters arrived, they found significant smoke and flames and began working to extinguish the blaze.
As crews searched the interior, they located an injured woman who was removed from the home and taken for emergency medical treatment. She was later identified as Mercedes Wilkerson and was pronounced deceased at a nearby hospital. A second adult, a man, was also found inside the home and was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not yet been released pending family notification.
During the response, firefighters discovered two young children inside the residence. Authorities confirmed that both children were physically unharmed. The Indiana Department of Child Services was notified to ensure appropriate care and support for the children, and arrangements were made with family members present at the scene.
Investigators have stated that a separate police pursuit in Tippecanoe County may be connected to the events on North Audubon Road, though officials have not yet provided details on how the two situations may be related. Multiple agencies are now collaborating to determine whether the incidents share a link.
Residents of the neighborhood described the area as typically quiet, noting that the large emergency response on a holiday morning was deeply unsettling. Many expressed concern and sadness over the situation.
Crime scene and arson investigators spent several hours collecting evidence and assessing the damage inside the home. Detectives are examining the timeline of events and evaluating whether the fire may have been intentionally set. The motive behind the incident has not yet been determined.
Authorities confirmed Mercedes Wilkerson as one of the deceased individuals, and community members have begun sharing condolences and remembrances online as news of her passing spreads.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is asking anyone with information related to the fire, the deaths, or the possible connection to the Tippecanoe County pursuit to contact investigators. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.
Officials will release updates as additional verified information becomes available.
