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NWI Times
Jul 18, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/crime-and-court/no-bond-for-former-cop-in-portage-murder-case/article_10c11b42-0432-534c-8706-be5f48312fb8.html
VALPARAISO — A judge agreed with the defense Monday there may not be a lot of physical evidence linking former Hammond and Gary police officer Kevin Campbell to the slaying of his children’s mother.
But the presumption of his guilt is strong based on circumstantial evidence and that is enough to justify continuing to hold Campbell without bond while his case proceeds, said Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford.
“Thank you, Jesus,” someone said aloud in the courtroom after Bradford announced his decision.
The decision came after about an hour of testimony from Portage police Detective Lt. Dennis Meyers, who summarized the prosecutor’s case against 32-year-old Campbell.
Campbell is charged with killling Tiara Thomas, 30, who was found covered in blood about 7:30 a.m. Nov. 18 in her unit at Park Place Apartments, 5970 Old Porter Road in Portage. She died later at the hospital.
Court documents point to arguments over child support and other money-related matters as a motive.
Defense attorney Susan Severtson asked for a bond Monday, arguing the case against her client is weak and his incarceration is hindering preparation for trial.
“It doesn’t show the court the evidence is strong,” she said of the detective’s testimony.
During questioning from Severtson, Meyers testified there were no fingerprints or other bodily evidence from Campbell found at the crime scene.
None of Campbell’s weapons were linked to the shooting, he said, and none of Thomas’ neighbors saw Campbell at the apartment at the time of the shooting.
Severtson downplayed evidence from Campbell’s son that his father threw a bag away at Columbus Park in Lake Station. The bag was never found, Severtson said, and neither was a key to Thomas’ apartment that Campbell’s 11-year-old son reportedly said his father asked him to bring along ahead of the shooting.
What police did discover is that while Campbell claimed to have been at home in Hobart at the time of the shooting, records show his cellphone active in Portage, Meyers said.
His home security system also recorded his front door opening and closing before the suspected time of the shooting and then again following the shooting, Meyers said.
Meyers said witnesses also said it was unusual that Campbell, rather than their mother, had the children on the day of her shooting, which was a school night.
Campbell also told police he had the same clothes on the entire day of the shooting, but his son disagreed, Meyers said.
Bradford scheduled the next hearing in the case for Sept. 26.
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