In the early hours of April 8, 2015, a 911 call from a Wichita, Kansas, home shattered the quiet of the night. On the other end of the line was Derek Campbell, reporting that his wife, 32-year-old Rebecca "Becky" Campbell, a female, had been shot. When authorities arrived at their residence at 20th and Salina, they found Rebecca deceased from a gunshot wound to her head. The initial account given by her husband was that the shooting was a tragic accident.
He claimed his Rossi revolver had unintentionally discharged as he was removing it from its holster.
However, as investigators delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding Rebecca's death, a different narrative began to emerge. Prosecutors argued that Derek, then 32, was a controlling and verbally abusive husband who was unhappy in his marriage and wanted a way out. In the days leading up to the shooting, he had been researching divorce online, browsing dating websites, and had reconnected with an old girlfriend. In fact, on the very night of his wife's death, Derek had been out with this other woman, a meeting he took advantage of while Rebecca was bathing their child. He had expressed to his ex-fiancee that he was miserable and no longer wanted to be married.
The investigation led to the arrest of Derek Campbell. He was charged with the murder of his wife. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that contradicted his claim of an accidental shooting. While Derek testified that he had emptied the revolver and was dry-firing it, not knowing a live round remained, the prosecution painted a picture of a man who wanted to end his marriage and saw his wife as an impediment. A fellow inmate also testified that Derek had confessed to intentionally killing Rebecca. The couple's 5-year-old daughter was asleep in the home at the time of the incident.
In March 2016, a Sedgwick County jury found Derek Campbell guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. His defense attorney had argued that the absence of a perfect marriage did not prove murder, but the jury was convinced by the prosecution's case after approximately five hours of deliberation. Subsequently, Derek Campbell was sentenced to life in prison and will have to serve a minimum of 50 years before he is eligible for parole. During the sentencing, Rebecca's father described Derek as an abusive and threatening husband, expressing the family's profound loss and pain. While Derek maintained his innocence, expressing love for his wife and claiming the shooting was a mistake, the court handed down the lengthy sentence.
