The Murder of Re’Mano Campbell
For this case, I watched an episode of Diabolical. It’s season 2 episode 8, titled ‘Life of Lies.’
A former Army seaman is found dead in his home.
Background
Re’Mano Campbell, also referred to as Ray Ray, grew up in a large family, and was the oldest son. In 1998, Re’Mano met his wife Eugenia. After she lied about being pregnant, Re’Mano broke it off with her.
In 2002, Re’Mano returned home from being stationed in Germany. A few days before he was to return to his post, his mom Patricia, learned that he and Eugenia had gotten married. They eventually had four children together.
Re’Mano ‘Ray Ray’ Campbell
The Crimes
On October 12, 2011, Patricia Campbell returned home to find her house had caught on fire. Patricia called her seven children, but only one of them didn’t show up. That was her oldest son, Re’Mano Campbell.
Just a few hours later, Re’Mano’s wife Eugenia, called 911. She said her husband was missing. She came home to find his car in the driveway, with the trunk open. The front door of their home was also wide open, and Re’Mano’s keys were found still in the door.
The police arrived to find Eugenia, and her sister waiting in the driveway. The police made entry into the home. Re’Mano was found lying on the floor, about 10 feet from the front door. He was been shot more than a dozen times.
It was obviously an overkill, and only 2-3 of the shell casings were actually found at the scene. The police quickly ruled out the crime as being a robbery. TVs, video game systems, etc, were all still found untouched, and there wasn’t any sign of forced entry.
Eugenia’s Story
The police believed that the Campbell family could have been targeted. However, it was ruled out, when it was discovered that the house fire at Patricia’s had started due to an electrical issue in the kitchen.
The police began their investigation by speaking to Eugenia. She told them that Re’Mano worked at an oil company, and was away from home two weeks at a time.
After a burglary took place in her home weeks before the murder, she decided to stay with her sister while Re’Mano was away. Eugenia had reported the burglary, but she failed to mention that the only item stolen was Re’Mano’s gun. The gun was the same type of gun that Re’Mano was killed with.
Eugenia said she had tried calling Re’Mano all day when she woke up, but she didn't receive an answer. She and her sister then went to the house, and that’s when she discovered his car, and the front door open. Her sister was with her when she called 911.
At the time, the police didn’t believe Eugenia was involved, and she was released. Just because the police didn’t think she was involved, didn’t mean Re’Mano’s family agreed. Eugenia showed no emotion, and didn’t seem to be concerned with finding out what happened to her husband.
A Double Life
In August 2011, just a few months before the murder, Eugenia had started seeing a man named Alexander Frank Williams.
Alex introduced Eugenia to his mother Gloria. They got to talking, and Eugenia admitted to her that she was still married, but about to be divorced. She told both Alex and Gloria, that Re’Mano beat her, but that she couldn’t leave because of the kids.
A few weeks after Re’Mano was killed, Eugenia disappeared. She had moved with the kids to Biloxi, Mississippi, to be with Alex.
Information also started to come out that Eugenia had affairs with other men. One of these men was Re’Mano’s brother-in-law. He had been in the Mobile, Alabama county jail, when he called the police to report the information he had.
He told the police that Eugenia had spoken with him several times about finding a hitman to kill Re’Mano. He thought Eugenia was crazy, and just all talk. The brother-in-law was ruled out, as he had been in jail on the during the time of the murder.
The Case Goes Cold
The police were out of leads, but they did obtain Eugenia’s phone records. In her phone records, they found a number that she had called right after she spoke to Re’Mano on the night he returned home, and was killed.
The phone number was traced back to a burner phone. When the phone was activated, the man left his name: Frank Williams.
Four other men were contacted about their involvement with Eugenia. They all admitted that she had a relationship with them, and some of them had even been giving her money. These other men were ruled out as suspects, and all had alibis.
In March 2014, 2 1/2 years after the murder, the police received a phone call. The man said he had information about Re’Mano’s death, and that he knew who actually pulled the trigger. The man asked the police to meet him at a convenience store in Biloxi.
The man said he let this individual stay with him when he had problems with his girlfriend. He told the police that one night while they were drinking, the man who had gotten very intoxicated, said he killed Re’Mano. He said the man said his girlfriend was about to come into a lot of insurance money. The man said that he shot Re’Mano until he “emptied his clip.” The amount of times that Re’Mano was shot had been withheld form the public.
The man was identified as Alexander Frank Williams, Eugenia’s boyfriend.
A Confession
On March 26, 2014, Alex was taken into custody. While he was being arrested, his mother Gloria, told him to tell the truth.
Alex said that Eugenia had come to him, and that she had been afraid. She told him that Re’Mano was going to kill her. At first, Alex said she’d be okay, but eventually agreed, after she kept begging him to kill Re’Mano.
The police believe that on October 4, Eugenia staged the burglary that she reported, and stole the gun.
On October 11, the night of the murder, Eugenia brought Alex inside the home to wait for Re’Mano.
Alex admitted that he waited in the hallway. He said Re’Mano took a few minutes to read the mail, so he turned, and started shooting. The police asked him how many times he shot Re’Mano. Alex said “until the gun stopped.”
The Convictions
On March 27, Eugenia and Alex were both charged with murder.
Eugenia confessed to her part, but said Alex had become possessive. No one bought her story. The abuse allegations against Re’Mano have also never been proven.
Eugenia and Alex both pled guilty. On November 8, 2016, they were both sentenced to life in prison. They will be eligible for parole in 2029.
After the murder, and Eugenia’s arrest, the children went to live with Eugenia’s family.
Eugenia Campbell and Alexander Williams
FINAL THOUGHTS
Every murder is horrible, but Patricia lost her son and her home all in the same day. She also lost her grandchildren, because their mother was selfish, and killed their dad for money.
While Alex isn’t innocent, he was described as someone that could be easily manipulated. He still chose to murder someone, and both of them deserve life in prison. Especially Eugenia, but she’s probably manipulating people from her jail cell as we speak.
Sources
https://www.al.com/live/2014/04/prosecutors_allege_boyfriend_o.html
https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/supreme-court/2018/1170385.html
