On the evening of July 3, 2023, the lives of two individuals were tragically cut short in a Southwest Roanoke, Virginia, apartment. Robert Aubrey “Robbie” Moorman, a 43-year-old male, and Brandi Kay Bryant Campbell, also 43, were discovered deceased inside a residence in the 900 block of Brandon Avenue SW. Responding to a call at approximately 5 p.m., Roanoke Police officers found both Moorman and Campbell unresponsive.
The initial investigation by law enforcement and Roanoke Fire-EMS determined that both individuals had succumbed to gunshot and knife wounds. The case was immediately classified as a double homicide, prompting an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
For several months, the investigation into the violent deaths of Moorman and Campbell continued, leaving their families searching for answers. The community was shaken by the incident, with officials urging anyone with information to come forward. The lack of immediate arrests in the case created a period of uncertainty and grief for the loved ones of the victims. Family members expressed their heartbreak and anger as they awaited a breakthrough in the investigation, emphasizing the difficulty of having no answers about who was responsible for the loss of their loved ones.
In December 2023, the Roanoke Police Department announced a significant development in the case with the arrest of 53-year-old Alex Rios of Roanoke County. Following his arrest, a grand jury indicted Rios on December 4, 2023, formally charging him in connection with the double homicide. The investigation that led to Rios as a suspect included a search of his residence, which uncovered personal property belonging to one of the victims. Furthermore, investigators located the weapon used in the murders in a storage locker belonging to Rios, solidifying the case against him.
A year after the indictments, in December 2024, Alex Rios faced a jury trial in a Roanoke County courtroom. After the presentation of evidence and testimony, the jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Robert Moorman and Brandi Campbell. The conviction brought a sense of resolution to the families who had long awaited justice. Alex Rios is scheduled to be sentenced for the murders on April 17, 2025.
