On a summer evening in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the life of Randal Joseph Campbell, a 44-year-old Caucasian male, came to a tragic end. On June 21, 2019, police were called to a residence on Hamilton Street SW for what appeared to be a suicide. Inside, they discovered Campbell deceased, with an air rifle resting on his lap and torso.
However, as investigators delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding his death, the initial assumption of suicide began to unravel.
The scene, they would later determine, had been meticulously staged to conceal a more sinister act. The investigation revealed that Randal Campbell had been shot at close range with the air rifle. A pellet had pierced his right eye and entered his brain, a detail confirmed by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, who recovered the projectile from his cerebellum and ruled the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head.
The focus of the investigation soon turned to two individuals: Joshua Conklin, 28, and Felisha Ann Marie Campbell, 26, the victim's own niece. At the time of the incident, Conklin had been living in a detached garage at the home, which was owned by Randal Campbell's mother. It was reported that a conflict had arisen between Conklin and the homeowner. Further complicating the situation was the fact that Conklin was dating Felisha Campbell.
In a significant break in the case, more than a year after the death, arrests were made. In July 2020, Joshua Conklin, who was already incarcerated on unrelated charges at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility, was charged with second-degree murder and obstructing prosecution in connection with Campbell's death. Investigators alleged that Conklin was the one who fired the fatal shot. His fingerprints were found on the air rifle, and he had reportedly admitted to knowing the weapon's lethal capabilities.
Felisha Campbell was also implicated in the crime. Warrants for her arrest were issued, and she was taken into custody in December 2020 following a police chase involving a stolen vehicle. She faced charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and accessory after the fact. Authorities believe she was present during the shooting and admitted to investigators that she suggested staging the scene to look like a suicide. Both suspects were subsequently held at the Linn County Jail.
