In the quiet town of Georgetown, Indiana, a horrific scene unfolded on the evening of September 28, 2000, forever altering the lives of a local family and baffling the community. Five-year-old Jill Catherine Camm, her seven-year-old brother Bradley Ray Camm, and their 35-year-old mother, Kimberly Starr Renn Camm, were found shot to death in the garage of their home.
The gruesome discovery was made by Jill's father, David Camm, a former Indiana State Trooper, who had just returned from playing basketball at a nearby church.
David Camm told authorities he found his wife on the garage floor and his two children inside the family's Ford Bronco. Jill was still in her seatbelt in the back seat, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Her brother, Bradley, was slumped over the back seat, also a victim of a gunshot wound. The initial investigation quickly focused on David Camm as the primary suspect. Within days of the murders, he was arrested and charged with the killings of his wife and children.
The legal proceedings that followed were a long and convoluted journey, spanning over a decade and involving three separate trials. Prosecutors initially built their case against David Camm, suggesting that he had the opportunity to commit the murders before or during his time at the church. However, Camm's defense team vehemently denied his involvement, pointing to a lack of direct evidence and maintaining his alibi. His first two convictions were ultimately overturned on appeal.
A significant breakthrough in the case came when DNA evidence from a sweatshirt found at the crime scene was linked to a man named Charles Boney, a convicted felon. Boney's palm print was also discovered on the family's vehicle. He was subsequently convicted in 2006 for his role in the murders and sentenced to 225 years in prison. In a third trial in 2013, David Camm was acquitted of all charges, with the defense successfully arguing that Boney was the sole perpetrator of the heinous crime. The prosecution had contended that Boney had supplied the murder weapon to Camm, but the jury found Camm not guilty, officially clearing his name after thirteen years of legal battles.
