Austin homicide detectives say ballistic evidence has tied the still-unsolved 2022 killing near Barton Springs to a separate Houston-area homicide, and they are hoping newly released surveillance video will finally shake loose some answers. Investigators say spent cartridge cases from both scenes produced a match in the national ballistic database, a development that puts fresh focus on who carried out the ambush-style attacks. The department is asking anyone with tips or footage from around the time of either shooting to contact homicide detectives.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, investigators said spent cartridge cases from the Aug. 25, 2022, Barton Springs killing of 27-year-old Camnik Campbell matched cartridges recovered in a Sept. 20, 2022, Houston-area shooting that killed 53-year-old Charles Blair. Police told reporters the match was made through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, and that the finding gives detectives new leads to chase.
Video, persons of interest
The Statesman reported that police released surveillance video showing two men, described as "persons of interest," walking in a nearby parking lot before and after the Houston-area shooting. Austin police have characterized both incidents as ambushes and said the firearm used in the crimes has not been recovered from either scene. Detectives are banking on the video clips to jog memories and generate tips that could help identify the two men.
How ballistics connected the cases
Investigators developed the match using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, which compares microscopic markings on spent cartridge cases to help link shootings across jurisdictions, according to the ATF. Agencies around the country use NIBIN leads to spot when the same gun is tied to multiple crimes, giving homicide units cross-jurisdictional threads to pull when other evidence is thin.
Case background and how to help
Campbell, whose family members and local reporting say did food-delivery work while pursuing music, was found shot in the Barton Springs Pool parking lot on Aug. 25, 2022. His car was discovered riddled with bullet holes. Ongoing outreach by his family and coverage from local outlets have kept the case in the public eye, and Fox 7 Austin has summarized earlier appeals for information. Anyone with tips or video is asked to call the APD Homicide Unit at 512-974-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.
Where the story stands
Hoodline previously reported on the family's push for answers as the investigation went cold, and the new ballistic link gives that search renewed urgency; see earlier coverage of the community's fight for justice for additional background. Police say the investigation remains active as detectives follow the NIBIN lead and continue to review tips and footage submitted by the public.
