A man charged in connection with the stabbing death of a University of Colorado Colorado Springs professor has reportedly been using his brother’s identity for many years, according to law enforcement in Lincoln County.

Authorities detained 53-year-old Ceasar Lorenzo Wilson on August 23 in Lincoln County. This arrest came mere weeks after the tragic incident involving Haleh Abghari, who was allegedly killed on August 7 in Colorado Springs.

Capt. Michael Yowell from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office detailed that Wilson was apprehended following a car theft incident. During the pursuit, Wilson drove through pastures and crop fields in a desperate attempt to evade capture. However, a deputy, known for his marathon running abilities, successfully chased him down.

Upon being taken into custody, Ceasar Wilson presented law enforcement with the identity of his brother, Charles Edward Wilson Jr., supplying a matching birthdate. Their physical resemblance and minor age difference reportedly helped perpetuate the identity mix-up, as confirmed by Yowell.

Fingerprints obtained during booking were submitted to the state, but the sheriff’s department was initially not alerted to any discrepancies in Wilson’s claimed identity. Consequently, he was incarcerated under his brother’s name and sentenced to a year in prison for his offenses in Lincoln County.

As time passed, Lincoln County authorities received inquiries from state officials regarding Wilson’s detainment. Subsequent communication from the Colorado Springs police suggested that the man in their custody might be the fugitive suspected in the UCCS professor’s homicide. This development prompted a deeper investigation into the historical confusion surrounding the Wilson brothers’ identities.

A Long History of Deception

The tangled web of identity swaps dates back to 1988 in North Carolina. From that year until 1997, Ceasar and Charles Wilson allegedly perpetrated various crimes in North Carolina and Georgia, ranging from armed robbery to vehicle theft and drug offenses, according to Yowell.

Ceasar Wilson’s arrest during that period led him to give his brother’s details. Consequently, his own fingerprints and DNA were then mistakenly recorded as belonging to Charles. This historical mix-up has complicated the task of distinguishing which crimes were committed by each brother.

The likelihood of Ceasar using his brother’s identity to both commit crimes and perhaps even serve sentences on his brother’s behalf is high, Yowell indicated. Concurrently, Charles Wilson is believed to have served significant prison time in North Carolina, engaging in various offenses such as assault, weapons charges, and robbery.

Legal Proceedings and Future Investigations

Ceasar Wilson now faces charges of second-degree murder and first-degree burglary in the case of the allegedly slain UCCS professor. Furthermore, there are allegations of assault and kidnapping stemming from an altercation with his mother in July at Fountain. Although he was bailed out after the Fountain incident, he reportedly did not appear for his court hearing on August 12 related to these charges, opting instead to continue committing crimes in Lincoln County. Ultimately, his true identity became known after his arrest.

Wilson was transferred to the El Paso County jail on March 27—roughly seven months following his initial Lincoln County arrest. Authorities are now re-examining records attached to both brothers dating back to 1988, led by investigative efforts from the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Despite this extensive investigation to rectify decades of confusion, the Colorado Department of Corrections continues to formally identify Ceasar as Charles due to historical records, as noted by Yowell. Corrective actions are ongoing to amend this, including verifying fingerprints taken upon previous bookings.

Currently detained at the El Paso County jail under a parole hold, Ceasar Lorenzo Wilson’s name has now been correctly logged. He is expected to make his next court appearance on April 9.