A 17-year-old Florida boy accused of killing Citadel cadet Dustin Rose and his childhood friend Samson Campbell had a criminal record dating to 2021, authorities said. The two victims were found shot in a vacant DeLand lot on July 29. The suspect was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service after investigators obtained a warrant, while officials debated whether earlier interventions could have prevented the alleged double murder. His father was also arrested in connection with the case.
The investigation has focused on the relationship among the three people, the suspect’s prior arrests and disagreements between law enforcement officials and prosecutors over how earlier cases were handled.
| 1) | Investigation and Arrest |
| 2) | Victims and Their Backgrounds |
| 3) | Suspect’s Prior Record |
| 4) | Political Dispute Over Prosecution |
| 5) | Charges and Next Steps |
Investigation and Arrest
DeLand police said Dustin Rose, 19, and Samson Campbell, 18, were discovered dead at about 10:40 p.m. on July 29 in a vacant lot in DeLand, Florida. Investigators later secured an arrest warrant for a 17-year-old male and announced that he had been taken into custody the following Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities said the three individuals knew one another in some capacity, but they have not publicly detailed the alleged motive or sequence of events.
The case began with a search for the person responsible for the shootings and developed into a homicide prosecution involving two counts of second-degree murder. Investigators also arrested the suspect’s father on a felony charge of accessory after the fact.
Victims and Their Backgrounds
Dustin Rose was a cadet at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, and was home in Florida during a break when he was killed. College President Gen. Frank McKenzie described Rose as a team leader and a valued friend and classmate. Rose was also a member of the South Carolina National Guard and was pursuing a long-held goal of military service.
Samson Campbell, a DeLand native, had been staying with his aunt, Karen Chobin, in the Chicago area. Chobin said Campbell returned to the area to mourn the recent death of the family’s 8-year-old dog and was staying with Rose’s grandparents. She said Rose had been helping Campbell spread the dog’s ashes. Rose’s mother, Rachel Rose, said the family was devastated by the loss.
“When they took him they took the very best part of me. We are devastated,” Rachel Rose said.
Suspect’s Prior Record
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the juvenile suspect’s record included allegations dating back to 2021. The charges cited by the sheriff included aggravated battery, assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, multiple battery counts, criminal mischief, vehicle theft, trespassing, drug possession and resisting an officer.
Chitwood said the earlier cases were dropped, not filed, dismissed or resolved with probation. He also said the teenager had been in a diversion program connected to drug possession and disturbing a school function before the killings. Because the suspect is 17 and had not yet been charged as an adult, his name was not publicly released.
“It makes you wonder if our justice system held him accountable from the start, maybe things would have turned out different,” Mike Chitwood said.
Political Dispute Over Prosecution
The sheriff attributed the limited consequences in the earlier cases to prosecution decisions by Monique Worrell, the state attorney for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also criticized Worrell, calling her record a danger to the circuit and arguing that policies viewed as lenient toward crime do not work.
Worrell rejected the criticism, saying the attorney general had made politically motivated statements without knowing all the facts. She also said the most recent case cited by Chitwood occurred in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, not the Ninth, and therefore fell outside her office’s jurisdiction.
Charges and Next Steps
The teenager faces two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Rose and Campbell. R.J. Larizza, the state attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, said the suspect would likely be charged as an adult. The case remains subject to further legal proceedings, and the allegations have not been resolved in court.
The investigation must now address the evidence linking the suspect to the shooting, the circumstances surrounding his father’s alleged assistance and the legal process for handling a juvenile accused of serious felonies. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two friends were found shot in a vacant DeLand lot on July 29. |
| 2 | A 17-year-old suspect was arrested and faces two second-degree murder counts. |
| 3 | Officials cited a juvenile record involving weapons, violence, theft, drugs and other allegations. |
| 4 | The sheriff and attorney general disputed the handling of earlier cases with the state attorney. |
Summary
The deaths of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell have prompted an investigation into a suspected double shooting and renewed scrutiny of the juvenile justice system. Authorities say the suspect had a substantial record but repeatedly received limited consequences before the killings. Prosecutors and law enforcement officials disagree over responsibility for those outcomes, while the criminal case proceeds toward a decision on whether the teenager will be tried as an adult.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the victims?
Dustin Rose, 19, was a Citadel cadet and South Carolina National Guard member. Samson Campbell, 18, was a DeLand native and Rose’s childhood friend.
What charges does the suspect face?
The 17-year-old suspect faces two counts of second-degree murder. Officials said he would likely be charged as an adult.
What did authorities say about his prior record?
The Volusia County sheriff cited prior allegations involving weapons, battery, aggravated assault, theft, trespassing, drug possession, criminal mischief and resisting an officer. He said several cases were dropped, dismissed, not filed or resolved with probation.
