After almost three decades, a Maryland man has been arrested in connection with a 1995 cold case homicide of a D.C. police officer, who was his girlfriend at the time, Montgomery County police announced Thursday. Amir Jalil Ali, 62, from Laurel, was taken into custody on August 5 by the Montgomery County Task Force officers who are part of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Ali, previously known as Kenneth Burnell Wonsom at the time of the crime, is facing charges over the death of 24-year-old Officer Denna Fredericka Campbell.
According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, Campbell was discovered shot five times in their shared White Oak apartment on September 16, 1995. The initial investigation had led to charges against Wonsom, which were subsequently dropped two months later; Ali had called 9-1-1 early that morning to report a burglary and the shooting.
Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada reflected on the persistence of the detectives in a statement obtained by the Montgomery County Department of Police. "Our detectives showed true grit and determination, never giving up as they continued to re-examine evidence and follow leads as they emerged," he said. "This arrest represents significant progress in a long-standing investigation, and we hope that it brings some measure of closure to Officer Campbell’s family, friends, and fellow officers who have waited three decades for justice."
As part of the ongoing investigation, evidence has been re-examined, and new details have come to light, prompting the re-issuance of the arrest warrant for Ali on August 3, 2025. Echoing Chief Yamada's sentiments, D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said, "This arrest is a powerful reminder that Officer Campbell’s life and service have not been forgotten, and it speaks volume to the dedication and persistence of the investigators working this case." She shared her hopes for healing for the officer's loved ones in the wake of the recent development.
Amir Jalil Ali, who legally changed his name in 2021, is currently being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. The details surrounding the bond hearing are pending as the judicial process continues to unfold for a case long embroiled in mystery and the incessant quest for resolution.
