On Friday, January 23, 2026, The Indiana Lawyer reported that the shooting of Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer is believed by authorities to be a gang-related attack. The incident occurred on January 18 at Judge Meyer’s Lafayette residence.
Raylen Ferguson, 38, of Lexington, Kentucky, has been accused of firing multiple shots through the front door, striking Judge Meyer and his wife, Kim. According to a probable cause affidavit, Ferguson is allegedly closely tied to a high-ranking gang member who was scheduled to stand trial before Judge Meyer just two days after the shooting.
Investigators claim that Ferguson acted in concert with Thomas Moss, a Lafayette resident. Moss had a felony case pending in Tippecanoe Superior Court 2, the court over which Judge Meyer presides. Court records indicate that Moss was scheduled to face a jury trial on charges of intimidation, criminal recklessness, and domestic battery. Judge Meyer had previously issued an order summoning 55 potential jurors for Moss’s trial. Moss requested a continuance, which Judge Meyer denied on January 7, 2026, eleven days before the shooting.
Authorities have identified a connection among the defendants through their association with Moss and shared gang or motorcycle club affiliations. Moss, 43, now faces charges of attempted murder in the shooting of Myers, in addition to conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated battery, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, battery with a deadly weapon, intimidation with a deadly weapon, and obstruction of justice. Ferguson faces similar charges, including attempted obstruction of justice. Another individual, Smith, 32, of Lafayette, is charged with most of the same crimes.
Two additional defendants, Amanda Milsap, 45, of Lafayette, has been charged with bribery and obstruction of justice, while Zenada Greer, 61, of Lexington, Kentucky, faces charges of assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Investigators believe Ferguson was the shooter, while Moss was the central figure connecting the defendants. Moss is allegedly a high-ranking member of the Indiana chapter of the Phantom Motorcycle Club and has prior gang affiliations. Ferguson, Smith, Greer, and Milsap are all linked through social media, shared vehicles, business records, or prior associations with Moss.
Authorities stated that Ferguson allegedly used a ruse to lure Judge Meyer to the front door of his home, claiming he was looking for a lost dog. When Judge Meyer responded through the closed door, Ferguson allegedly fired multiple shotgun rounds. Surveillance video shows Ferguson on the front porch wearing a disguise, including a hooded flannel, scarf, earmuffs, sunglasses, and a silicone face mask. The video also captured a distinct knock pattern that investigators later linked to Ferguson.
Two nights prior, on January 16, a man identified as Ferguson knocked on the door late at night claiming to have a food delivery. Judge Meyer did not open the door and told the man he had the wrong house. Surveillance video from that encounter showed the same knock pattern, gait, and clothing later seen during the shooting.
The affidavit also details an alleged attempt to interfere with Moss’s upcoming trial. The victim in Moss’s pending case reported being approached at her Pennsylvania home by a masked individual days before the shooting, who offered her $10,000 to not testify. She declined the offer and was under a no-contact order protecting her from Moss at the time.
Judge Meyer suffered a gunshot wound to the arm, and his wife was shot in the hip. Both were hospitalized and later reported to be improving. In a statement, Judge Meyer said the attack would not shake his faith in the judicial system or the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Source: The Indiana Lawyer
