Dustin Rose, a 19-year-old Citadel cadet, and his childhood friend, 18-year-old Samson Campbell, were found shot dead in DeLand, Florida, on July 29. Authorities have obtained a murder warrant for a 17-year-old who was arrested Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals Service. Police said the suspect and the victims knew one another in some capacity. A former homicide detective said forensic examinations of the victims’ cellphones could help investigators determine why they were killed.
| 1) | The victims and the discovery |
| 2) | Arrest and police update |
| 3) | Rose’s military path and family grief |
| 4) | Cellphones and the potential motive |
| 5) | Questions that remain under investigation |
The victims and the discovery
Rose and Campbell were found at about 10:40 p.m. in a vacant lot in DeLand, a Florida community where the two had longstanding ties. Police previously released surveillance footage showing them walking together on the evening before their bodies were discovered. Investigators have not said whether they were specifically targeted or explained what led them to the location.
Family members may have been among those who found the victims after they stopped responding to phone calls, according to police. The circumstances have left relatives seeking answers about what happened between the friends and the person authorities say was connected to them.
Arrest and police update
Authorities announced Tuesday that a murder warrant had been obtained for a 17-year-old male. The U.S. Marshals Service arrested him Wednesday. During a news conference, police said the teenager and the two victims knew each other in some capacity and described the accused teenager as having a significant prior criminal history.
The arrest identifies a person authorities are pursuing in the case, but the available information does not establish a public motive. Police have also not disclosed whether additional arrests are expected, what evidence led to the warrant, or whether the teenager is accused of killing both victims.
Rose’s military path and family grief
Rose was attending The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and was home in Florida during a school break. He also served in the South Carolina National Guard. The Citadel’s president, Gen. Frank McKenzie, described him as a team leader and a valued friend and classmate.
His mother, Rachel Rose, remembered him as a bright presence in the family.
“When they took him they took the very best part of me. We are devastated,” Rachel Rose said.
Campbell, a DeLand native, had been staying with his aunt, Karen Chobin, in the Chicago area before traveling to Florida. Chobin said he had returned to mourn the recent death of the family’s 8-year-old dog and was staying with Rose’s grandparents. She said Rose was helping Campbell spread the dog’s ashes.
Cellphones and the potential motive
Former homicide detective and criminal defense attorney Patrick McGeehan said the fact that the victims’ phones were apparently not taken could be significant. In his assessment, leaving behind expensive smartphones may make a robbery explanation less likely, although investigators have not ruled out any motive publicly.
“They will go through their phones. They will do a forensic audit of their phones,” Patrick McGeehan said, adding that the information available from a phone can be extensive.
A forensic review could examine communications, recent contacts, location information and other digital evidence, subject to legal procedures. Such an examination could help establish who the victims contacted, where they traveled and whether they arranged to meet someone before the shooting. It could also help investigators test competing explanations for the killings.
Questions that remain under investigation
Several central details remain undisclosed, including the precise relationship among the three people, whether the victims were lured or followed to the vacant lot, and what events preceded the shooting. Police have not publicly identified a motive or said whether the surveillance footage captures the final known movements of the victims.
Rose’s aunt, Jaimie Scarola, said his death ended the future he had hoped to pursue in military service.
“He was willing to go to the front line and fight for our freedom, including the freedom of the one who took him from us,” Jaimie Scarola said.
Investigators are expected to use witness interviews, surveillance footage, phone records and other forensic evidence to reconstruct the final hours of both victims and support the criminal case.
| Number | Key point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell were found shot dead in DeLand on July 29. |
| 2 | A 17-year-old was arrested on a murder warrant by the U.S. Marshals Service. |
| 3 | Police said the accused teenager and the victims knew one another. |
| 4 | Investigators may examine the victims’ phones for communications and motive clues. |
Summary
The killings of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell have led to an arrest but few public answers about motive. Authorities say the accused teenager knew the victims, while investigators continue to assess surveillance, witness and digital evidence. The planned examination of the victims’ phones could help clarify their movements, contacts and final interactions as the case proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the victims?
Dustin Rose was a 19-year-old Citadel cadet and South Carolina National Guard member. Samson Campbell, 18, was a DeLand native and Rose’s childhood friend.
When and where were they found?
They were found at about 10:40 p.m. on July 29 in a vacant lot in DeLand, Florida.
Who was arrested?
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested a 17-year-old male Wednesday after authorities obtained a murder warrant. Police said he knew the victims in some capacity.
Why are investigators examining the phones?
The phones may contain communications, location data and other digital evidence that could help reconstruct the victims’ final hours and clarify a possible motive.