E-FILED

IN COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE

PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON

June 14 2021 9:57 AM

1 KEVIN STOCK
COUNTY CLERK

6
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR PIERCE COUNTY
7
STATE OF WASHINGTON CAUSE NO. 21-1-01459-1
8
Plaintiff,
9 DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION OF
vs.
PROBABLE CAUSE
10 MICHAEL SCOTT CAMPBELL, (ADPC)
AKA
11 ADAM JESUS CHRIST
12 Defendant.
DOB: 01/16/1967
13 LISA WAGNER declares under penalty of perjury:
14         That I am a deputy prosecuting attorney for Pierce County and I am familiar with
the police report and/or investigation conducted by the LAKEWOOD POLICE
15 DEPARTMENT, incident number 2116300218;

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        That the police report and/or investigation provided me the following information;
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        That in Pierce County, Washington, on or about June 12, 2021, the defendant,
18 MICHAEL SCOTT CAMPBELL, did commit the crimes of Murder in the Second Degree
and Kidnapping in the First Degree.
19         On June 12, 2021, at 3:46 am, South Sound 911 Communications received a call
from  witness J.P. who reported a suspicious white Ford F-150 dragging an unknown
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object through the rear parking lot of business at the intersection of Sharondale Street
21 SW and Halcyon Road SW, in the City of Lakewood. The rear of the business parking
lot is situated next to a large open field surrounded by trees and is accessible by a
22 make-shift dirt road surrounding the perimeter. The witness continued to narrate the
incident to the 911 call taker and stated the driver of the white truck returned to the initial
23 location, got out and entered a red pickup truck that was parked nearby, and drove off
northbound on Halcyon Road SW. The driver was described as a white male with a
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white beard, and was later identified as defendant MICHAEL S. CAMPBELL.  The
25 "object" that the defendant was dragging was identified as the deceased victim in this
incident, B.P.  
26         Approximately 14-minutes later, Officer Keisler arrived on the scene and began
driving the perimeter of the field when he located victim B.P. in the southwest corner of

DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION 1 of 3 Office of the Prosecuting Attorney

OF PROBABLE CAUSE 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946
declaration.jasper Tacoma, WA 98402-2171
Main Office (253) 798-7400
 MICHAEL SCOTT CAMPBELL--21-1-01459-1 --3642628

1 the field. The victim was deceased and appeared to have several obvious signs of
trauma to his body, some of which were consistent with having  been dragged.
2 Additionally, the officer observed two "puncture wounds" on the victim's lower abdomen
and left side of his torso. These were later determined to be gunshot wounds.  
3          The crime scene was secured and Officer Keisler then located the red truck as
4 described by witness J.P.  This truck was registered owner to victim B.P.  Officer Keisler
began interviewing witness J.P. when a white 2004 Ford F-150, drove past their
5 location.  The witness identified the truck and the driver as being involved  in dragging
what was later determined to be the victim.  Officers converged in the area and initiated
6 a traffic stop at 100th/South Tacoma Way. The witness was transported to the scene of
the traffic stop and positively identified the Ford F-150 and the driver as the one he
7 observed during his initial 911 call. The driver and registered owner of the Ford F-150
8 were confirmed to be defendant Campbell. 
        Detectives arrived and began an initial walk-through of the scene.  They located a
9 significant amount of blood in the gravel lot. Additionally, tire impressions and a
distinctive drag mark could be seen and followed directly to the victim's body.  Witness
10 J.P. confirmed the blood location was in the same place both the white Ford 150 and
the maroon Toyota Tundra were parked side-by-side.   Detectives could see a large 
11 amount of blood on the driver's side running board and the lower door seam of the
12 victim's truck. Peering through the windows, they could also see what appeared to be
blood on the driver's seat and seatbelt.   Investigators walked to the location of the
13 victim's body and noted he was facing up with his head to the west. His arms were
positioned above his head, ligature marks on both wrists, and his pants were pulled
14 down below his knees (likely from being dragged). Obvious penetrating wounds to both
sides of his abdomen, along with the pelvis region could be seen along with significant
15 injury to his head.  
16          Witness J.P.  was interviewed and stated he is currently employed by a moving
company and and is an interstate truck driver. He said he has routinely parked his truck
17 at location of the incident when in town, and is familiar with the surroundings.  He
reported that he was asleep in the sleeper berth of his truck and was awakened by a
18 noise. He sat up and saw two males in the parking lot in front of his truck. J.P. said he
recognized the male with the white beard as a local transient who he has seen and
19 causally spoken to in the past. The second subject was unknown to him but later
clarified this was the victim before being killed.  He said that minutes later he saw the
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defendant  get into his truck and begin dragging an object through the field behind his
21 truck. He estimated he remained in the field for approximately 1-minute before driving
back to the initial location.  The witness said the defendant exited the Ford F-15,
22 entered the victim's truck,  which was running, and drove off northbound on Halcyon
Road SW, only to return minutes later on foot. The defendant then began picking up
23 items around the location where the blood was located and drove off in the F-150.   The
witness said he called and narrated the events to the 911 dispatcher because of the
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suspicious nature.   He also stated that when he was speaking with an officer (Keisler),
25 he noticed the F-150 return to the location and driven by the same bearded male.  Once
officers stopped the F-150, the witness confirmed that  he was transported to the
26 location and positively identified the F-150 and the driver as being involved with the
dragging of the body.  

DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION 2 of 3 Office of the Prosecuting Attorney

OF PROBABLE CAUSE 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946
declaration.jasper Tacoma, WA 98402-2171
Main Office (253) 798-7400
 MICHAEL SCOTT CAMPBELL--21-1-01459-1 --3642628

1          Detectives began canvassing for surveillance footage and contacted an employee

of  a nearby auto business. The employee confirmed the parking lot where the incident
2 took place was owned by the business, and asked if "Mike Campbell" was involved. 
The employee told officers Mike Campbell was known to live in his white Ford F-150 for
3 the past 2-years and is occasionally paid by the owner of the business to "watch the
4 property" during off hours.     The defendant's  F-150 was impounded and transported to
the station pending a search warrant. The exterior of the F-150 was inspected and
5 obvious amounts of dirt on the tires and rims, in addition to pieces of long yellowish
grass consistent and similar to the type of grass in the field where the victim's body was
6 located.   Forensic detectives searched  the F-150  after the warrant was obtained and
located a Browning Highpoint 9mm along with a green rope that visually matched the
7 green rope at the scene.
8         Detectives conducted an audio/video recorded interview with  defendant Campbell
after he was advised and waived his constitutional rights.  The defendant stated he was
9 awakened by someone attempting to saw the catalytic converter from under his F-150. 
He stated  that he opened the passenger side door of his truck and saw legs sticking out
10 from underneath his truck.  He said he fired straight down at the subject, then fired two
more times.  The defendant told detectives that the victim crawled out from under his
11 truck and tried to enter his own vehicle (red truck), but fell out onto the ground.  He said
12 he lashed the victim's hands above his head and tied him to the ball hitch on his F-150,
then dragged him through the field.   The defendant further stated that the victim was
13 still alive and talking as he was lashing him to the truck, and was still alive when he
untied him and abandoned him in the field.  The defendant has prior felony convictions
14 and is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.
15

16 I DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE

OF WASHINGTON THAT THE FOREGOING IS TRUE AND CORRECT.
17 DATED: June 14, 2021.
PLACE: TACOMA, WA
18
/s/ LISA WAGNER
19 LISA WAGNER, WSB# 16718
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
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DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION 3 of 3 Office of the Prosecuting Attorney

OF PROBABLE CAUSE 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946
declaration.jasper Tacoma, WA 98402-2171
Main Office (253) 798-7400