Draft:Murder of Kiaya Campbell
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| Murder Kiaya Campbell | |
|---|---|
 Kiaya Campbell | |
| Location | Thornton, Colorado, U.S |
| Date | June 7, 2017 |
Attack type | Child murder |
| Weapon | Metal pipe |
| Perpetrators | Aidan Demmie Zellmer |
| Verdict | Pleaded guilty |
| Convictions | Life imprisonment with possibility of parole in 40 years. |
| Charges |
|
| Judge | Priscilla Loew |
Kiaya Mae Campbell was an American 10-year-old girl living in Thornton, Colorado.[1] She was sexually assaulted and murdered by her 15-year-old brother, Aidan Demmie Zellmer. On June 7, 2017, she would be declared missing and on June 8, 2017, her body would be found by a resident in a drainage ditch near 128th Avenue between Jasmine Street and Jasmine Court. Two years later, Aidan Demmie Zellmer would plead guilty to killing her and would be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.[2]
Disappearance and Investigation
[edit]Around 11:50 p.m. on June 7, 2017, a woman named Katie called the Thornton Police Department to report that her 15-year-old son Aidan Demmie Zellmer, and 10-year-old stepdaughter Kiaya Campbell had left their house in Thornton around 7:30 PM to go to a store and hadn't returned. She said that neither of them had a phone and that they had been missing for about five hours.[3]
Katie, who shared her home with Kiaya's dad had driven around the neighborhood searching for them, but failed.[4]
The police immediately issued amber alerts thorough Thornton and started to search for the pair.[5] More than 20 police agencies and hundreds of volunteers searched for her. Campbell's biological father also helped with the search, and found a security footage of Zellmer walking with her on Fairfax Street. When Zellmer was interrogated by police, he claimed that they had gone to the local store to steal Pokémon cards, but were unable to because the cards were locked. They left to go home, where Zellmer grabbed a backpack with water bottle, before heading back out to another store. While walking to the second store, it started to rain so they turned onto a walking path east of Colorado Boulevard.[3]
Zellmer claimed they got in an argument as they waited for the rain to end. Zellmer allegedly wanted to wait it out in the store and Campbell wanted to go home. They argued for a little while before deciding to stay in the store. When the rain let up, they started to walk back home. As they walked, Zellmer turned around and didn't see Campbell. He searched for her, but after 45 minutes, he still hadn't found her. Around that time, Campbell's father found him on Fairfax Avenue.[3]
As police talked with Zellmer, they said that his story did not add up, but he insisted that he was not lying. When asked if he did something to Campbell, he said he had not. Police obtained surveillance video in a store that did not match Zellmer's story. During his interrogation, Campbell's body was found by a resident in a greenbelt area about 1½ miles from where her family said she had disappeared. She had been beaten to death with a metal pipe.[6] According to Campbell's autopsy by Adams County Coroner's Office, she had died from blunt force trauma to the head. A forensic pathologist said she had been beaten in the head at least five times. She had other wounds, including some defensive wounds.[2]
When police told Zellmer during the interview that they had found Campbell's body, he started crying and became agitated. He said that he didn't hurt her but left her because she was being "annoying".[3] Both Zellmer and his mother consented for him to have a sexual assault examination and Zellmer was placed with the Department of Human Services at his mother's request. Zellmer's clothing and shoes were collected for testing. A presumptive serological examination found blood on both of his shoes. Later, following evidence collection, testing and an autopsy, investigators linked the murder to Zellmer and gave police enough evidence to arrest him and charge him with 1st degree murder and Sexual assault.[7]
Trial
[edit]Initially Demmie Zellmer was being sentenced as a juvenile but later, the 17th Judicial District DA's office, Adams County Juvenile Court Judge Priscilla Loew ruled that the case would be moved to adult court following a four-day court hearing on January 23, 2018.[8]
On December 16, 2019, trial Aidan Demmie Zellmer plead guilty to killing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years.[9] Although Zellmer was initially facing sexual assault charges, those were dropped as part of the plea deal, which also allowed him to participate in a rehabilitation program for young adults convicted of murder.[10][11] Zellmer will be eligible for parole when he turns 56. But with reductions of time linked to good behavior, he could be released from prison when he turns 46.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kiaya Mae Campbell (2006-2017) Find a Grave".
- ^ a b "Aidan Zellmer, Teen Who Killed 10-Year-Old Kiaya Campbell, Sentenced To Life In Prison". Mar 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Teen who pleaded guilty to murdering Kiaya Campbell, 10, sentenced to life in prison". Mar 11, 2019.
- ^ "Two kids try to steal Pokemon cards but only one returns alive - with a disturbing secret". 23 Sep 2024.
- ^ "Sixteen-year-old sentenced to life in prison for death of Kiaya Campbell". Mar 11, 2019.
- ^ "Colo. Girl, 10, Beaten to Death with Metal Pipe by Teen Who Gets Life in Prison for 'Heinous' Act". March 12, 2019.
- ^ "17-year-old sentenced to life in prison for murder of 10-year-old Thornton girl". Mar 11, 2019.
- ^ "Aidan Zellmer, 15, Charged as Adult for Murder of Kiaya Campbell, Age 10". January 24, 2018.
- ^ "Aidan Zellmer, Teen Who Killed 10-Year-Old Kiaya Campbell, Sentenced To Life In Prison". March 11, 2019.
- ^ "Boy accused of killing 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell to be tried as an adult". April 15, 2019.
- ^ "Teen who killed 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell in Thornton in 2017 sentenced to life with parole". March 12, 2019.
- ^ "Teen pleads guilty to murder of 10-year-old Kiaya Campbell, faces life in prison". February 1, 2019.