Billy Moore shot and killed Ben Wilson, the top-ranked high school basketball player in the country, outside Simeon High School in Chicago on November 20, 1984. Moore, then 16, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison. He served nearly 20 years, was released in 2004, and has spent the years since working to prevent gun violence in Chicago, with the public forgiveness of Wilson’s family.
Who Ben Wilson Was
Benjamin “Benji” Wilson Jr. was a 17-year-old senior at Simeon Career Academy on Chicago’s South Side. The previous spring, he had starred on the Wolverines’ 1984 IHSA Class AA state championship team.1Basketball Museum of Illinois. Ben Wilson By the fall of 1984, he held the consensus ranking as the number-one high school basketball player in the nation, the first Illinois player ever to earn that distinction. He stood roughly 6-foot-9 and was described as graceful and smooth.2Chicago Crusader. From Tragedy to Transformation: Ben Wilson His brother Jeffrey later said Ben regularly encouraged neighborhood children to focus on school and self-respect.
The Shooting Outside Simeon High School
On November 20, 1984, Wilson was walking near Simeon with his girlfriend and a friend during his lunch break when he bumped into Billy Moore, a 16-year-old from the Auburn Gresham neighborhood described as a suspected gang member.3Chicago Tribune. Chicago History: November 20 The bump turned into an argument. Moore’s companion, 15-year-old Omar Dixon, grabbed Wilson and demanded money. According to witness testimony later presented at trial, Dixon urged Moore to shoot, saying, “Let’s shoot this punk.”4Chicago Tribune. Ben Wilson’s Killer Sentenced Again Moore fired. The bullets punctured Wilson’s heart and liver. Wilson was rushed to a hospital and died the following day, November 21, 1984.
Thousands attended his wake and funeral at the Simeon gymnasium. Rev. Jesse Jackson publicly called for the tragedy to spur new efforts to prevent crime.5CBS News Chicago. Rev. Jesse Jackson Hopes Ben Wilson Shooting Spurs New Efforts to Prevent Crime Community leaders later described Wilson’s death as a turning point that took hope from a generation of young Chicagoans.2Chicago Crusader. From Tragedy to Transformation: Ben Wilson
The Trial and Sentence
Moore and Dixon were both tried as adults in Cook County Criminal Court. At a joint jury trial in October 1985, Moore was convicted of murder and attempted armed robbery and sentenced to 40 years for the murder and 10 years for the attempted armed robbery.6vLex. People v. Moore Dixon was convicted of the same offenses and sentenced to 30 years.7Los Angeles Times. Ben Wilson’s Killer Sentenced to 40 Years
Moore later pursued post-conviction relief. He successfully petitioned to file a late appeal after his original trial attorney failed to do so, but his conviction stood.6vLex. People v. Moore
Billy Moore After Prison
Moore served 19 years and 9 months before his release in 2004.8Chicago Sun-Times. Ben Wilson’s Brothers, His Killer Meet Publicly for First Time While incarcerated, he earned a GED and an associate degree from Illinois Central College.9Chicago CRED. Billy Moore
After release, he spent nine years at The Safer Foundation, a Chicago organization helping formerly incarcerated people find work, as a job coach and site supervisor. His reentry was highlighted at a 2008 White House ceremony presented by The Safer Foundation’s then-CEO, B. Diane Williams. He also mentored at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center for more than three years, working with hundreds of young people.9Chicago CRED. Billy Moore
In July 2017, Moore’s only son, William Moore IV, was killed by gun violence in Chicago.8Chicago Sun-Times. Ben Wilson’s Brothers, His Killer Meet Publicly for First Time Two weeks later, he joined the Inner-City Muslim Action Network’s Green Re-Entry program as manager of casework and outreach, working to steer young men away from gun violence. In April 2020, he moved to Chicago CRED, which uses street outreach, life coaching, counseling, and workforce development to reduce gun violence. He now serves as a site manager at one of Chicago CRED’s North Lawndale hubs.9Chicago CRED. Billy Moore The Obama Foundation has described his role as that of a “violence interrupter” on Chicago’s South and West Sides.10Obama Foundation. Hope Amidst Violence: Billy Moore
In July 2020, Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a concentration in social and societal problems from Southern New Hampshire University, graduating magna cum laude.9Chicago CRED. Billy Moore He has also written a memoir, Until the Lion Speaks.
Reconciliation With the Wilson Family
The path to forgiveness began with Ben Wilson’s mother, Mary Wilson. On her deathbed in 2000, she asked her surviving sons to forgive the man who had killed their brother. Alderman David Moore, a cousin of Billy Moore, later said, “When Mama Wilson said ‘I forgive you,’ that started everything. If she wasn’t able to forgive, I don’t think her sons would’ve.”8Chicago Sun-Times. Ben Wilson’s Brothers, His Killer Meet Publicly for First Time
Anthony and Jeffrey Wilson first met privately with Moore in 2017. On February 13, 2020, the three men appeared together publicly for the first time at Malcolm X College in Chicago, before an audience of about 350 Chicago Public School students.11CBS News Chicago. Brothers of Chicago Prep Basketball Star Forgive His Killer The event included a panel moderated by hip-hop artist Common and former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, along with clips from the documentary Both Sides of the Gun: A Story of Reconciliation, a 75-minute film that had been in production for nearly five years.12Citizen Newspaper Group. New Documentary About Ben Wilson Highlights Forgiveness
In one clip shown that day, Jeffrey Wilson handed Moore the bullet that had been removed from Ben’s body as the two men embraced.8Chicago Sun-Times. Ben Wilson’s Brothers, His Killer Meet Publicly for First Time Anthony Wilson, then 43, told the audience, “This is about forgiveness. I’ve learned to forgive Mr. Moore. I was emotionally compromised meeting this man.” Jeffrey, then 46, said, “I did it for the city of Chicago. I don’t want anyone to have this type of bitterness.” Moore spoke as well: “It’s something I carry with me my whole life. I want to make sure other young people don’t have to go through the things I had to deal with.”11CBS News Chicago. Brothers of Chicago Prep Basketball Star Forgive His Killer