Murder case involving best friends shocks other Excelsior Springs High grads

After someone fatally shot Tyler Eddington outside a Kansas City, North, restaurant last month, his best friend Tristian Wilton helped organize a candlelight vigil for the 2015 Excelsior Springs High School graduate.

Now, those who knew the inseparable pair are reeling with shock at the news that Wilton is charged with murder in his friend’s death.

“If Tristian was involved, he never would have intended to hurt Tyler,” said Cale Lawrence, 18, who played football with the pair at Excelsior Springs. “They were brothers. They took care of each other.”

A Clay County grand jury indicted Wilton on Thursday on charges of second-degree murder and attempted robbery.

Eddington was killed Oct. 14 when he and Wilton, both 18, allegedly tried to rob two people, court documents say. Under Missouri law, a person can be charged with second-degree murder if he participates in a dangerous felony that leads to a death.

The charges allege that Wilton, “acting alone or in concert with another, orchestrated a drug transaction so another could steal marijuana and United States currency” while armed with “what appeared to be a deadly weapon,” according to court documents.

The intended victim fought back. Eddington was shot and died later at a hospital.

“It’s just unbelievable,” said Collin Teegarden, who graduated from high school last spring with Wilton and Eddington, and said they called each other brothers. “I honestly could not believe when I read about it.”

The Excelsior Springs School District released a statement Friday expressing sadness over Eddington’s death and “recent developments” in the case.

“Anytime a tragedy impacts the school’s alumni, it affects everyone in the community,” the statement said. “With the two alumni at the center of this story being recent graduates, the focus for the school will be to assist with current students who may be suffering from the news and supporting them during this difficult time.”

Eddington and Wilton served as two of the football team’s captains their senior year at Excelsior Springs High. Photos posted on Facebook show them standing shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand as they line up for pregame coin tosses.

The day after Eddington’s death, Wilton posted pictures on Facebook of them together. The page has since been taken down.

Deputy school superintendent Jaret Tomlinson said Friday that the district is working to help current students affected by the incident.

“The tragedy happened a month ago, so that was when it was most traumatic for students,” Tomlinson said. “We are trying to be sympathetic to their needs and what they have going on.”

The shooting occurred just after midnight on Oct. 14 in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant in the 4000 block of North Oak Trafficway.

Bond for Wilton was set at $1 million. He was being held Friday in the Clay County Jail.

Eddington and Wilton met in middle school after each of their families moved to Excelsior Springs. Football brought them together, and they instantly became friends. They frequented each other houses and played basketball, Lawrence said.

After Eddington’s family relocated to Raytown, he moved in with Wilton’s family so he would be able to graduate with his classmates from Excelsior Springs High, Lawrence said.

Eddington even tagged along with Wilton to Texas for a family reunion. Wilton’s extended family treated Eddington like one of their own, he said.

“They really did everything together,” Lawrence said. “Anytime you would see one, you usually would see the other one. They loved each other.”

On the football field, Eddington was a fierce running back unafraid to take on tacklers, Lawrence said. Online game highlights include one of him ripping off a 95-yard touchdown run.

“He wasn’t an outside fast runner. He was more like a truck,” Lawrence recalled. “He liked running people over, he was so strong.”

Holding hands for the pregame football captains’ meetings symbolized the players’ brotherhood, Lawrence said.

“Now I’m worried about Tristian,” Lawrence said. “Being accused of your best friend’s death — that lives with you forever.”

Since his graduation, Eddington had done carpentry work with an uncle, according to his obituary. He planned to attend Metropolitan Community College-Longview beginning in January and wanted to study psychology.

He was one of nine children, according to the obituary. A member of his family declined to comment Friday.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Murder case involving best friends shocks other Excelsior Springs High grads."