Camnik Campbell murder: Austin police have breakthrough in nearly 4-year-old case
New information in the death of Camnick Campbell
Austin police said the breakthrough in a nearly four-year-old murder may be in Houston. Detectives said the gun used to kill 27-year-old Camnik Campbell in Austin may have also been used in a Houston murder just weeks later.
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police said the breakthrough in a nearly four-year-old murder may be in Houston.
Detectives said the gun used to kill 27-year-old Camnik Campbell in Austin may have also been used in a Houston murder just weeks later.
The backstory:
"As we keep digging into this, we just keep feeling like we're getting closer and closer," Austin Police Department Homicide Detective Israel Pina said.
In August 2022, Camnik Campbell was found dead near his bullet-riddled car at Barton Springs Pools.
"He was sitting in his car when he was ambushed," Campbell said.
Austin police have been working on the case for nearly four years. Campbell’s mother remembers it like it happened yesterday.
"It is never a long time. It's always yesterday it happened. You never forget how you receive the news or how you had to go about getting the news, so it's all always yesterday," Camnik Campbell’s mother, Nikki Olton, said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Camnik Campbell update 2 years later
It's almost been two years since Camnik Campbell was shot and killed near Barton Springs Pool and his family is still calling for answers.
Recently, Olton received an update. Austin police had re-run ballistic evidence from the crime scene through a national database. Within a day, they got a hit. The cartridge casings from Campbell’s killing appear to be the same from a gun used again less than a month later about 160 miles away in Houston.
"At the time, even though both were entered in 2022, the technology I don't think was sensitive enough to pick up these little minute details," Detective Pina said.
Police said Charles Blair was shot and killed in September 2022 while sleeping behind a business on Fondren Road in Houston.
"Both of these homicides appear to be ambush-style attacks with a firearm," Detective Pina said. "No property was taken. Robbery doesn't appear to be the motive."
Two people were seen on surveillance footage, but investigators were never able to determine who they were. Now, Austin detectives believe identifying them could help solve both murders.
"They may be solely involved in this murder and that is it. But if we can identify these people and talk to them, find out where they obtained this firearm from, it may lead back to our suspect here in Austin," Detective Pina said.
Campbell had recently moved to Austin from Houston and was working for Doordash while pursuing his music career. Despite the geographic connection, investigators said they have not made any connection between the victims.
Olton said the new development brings both hope and heartbreak.
"This is one more senseless murder, so that right there had me kind of shaking my head," Olton said.
She said she hopes the new lead will encourage someone to come forward.
"I pray that someone would absolutely just do the right thing," Olton said.
If you recognize the two people in the surveillance footage, call the Austin Police Department.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis and the Austin Police Department