On February 19, 1982, Richard Boyd, aged 29, was found dead in a duplex at 2546 Woodsedge Court in Columbus, Ohio. He was discovered alongside 19-year-old Deanna Campbell, both victims of a double homicide. The two were shot in the head, and the crime scene did not indicate signs of forced entry, burglary, or ransacking. Boyd, who worked as a maintenance man for a local realty company, lived at the duplex, which was owned by his employer. Campbell, a student at Bliss College and a freelance model, did not live at the residence.
The discovery of the bodies was made by a roommate who shared the home with Boyd. Campbell's car, a late model Pontiac Trans-Am, was found parked outside, with visible damage to its front and rear. Both Boyd and Campbell were known to have connections to the local community, with Boyd's work at the realty company and Campbell's engagement in modeling and her studies. The police investigation initially focused on their acquaintances and possible motives, but no clear suspect emerged.
This case garnered significant media attention in the early 1980s, and it remains unsolved. There were suspicions that a man named Roy Howard Sage, who had been involved in another homicide nearby shortly after Boyd and Campbell's deaths, might have been linked to the double murder. Sage, who had previously been Campbell's boyfriend, was involved in a separate murder and attempted suicide incident just days later. However, despite the connections, he was never charged with the killings of Boyd and Campbell.
The double homicide remains an open investigation under the Ohio Attorney General’s list of unsolved cases. The Columbus Police Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation have kept the case active, hoping that public awareness might bring forward new information that could help solve the crime. The authorities continue to encourage anyone with information to submit a tip to help bring closure to the families of Richard Boyd and Deanna Campbell.
