60-year-old Florida Man Covers up for Convicted Felon
A loud noise from the backyard of his home woke Louis Campbell, 60, about 3 a.m. Friday. Campbell advised the police that he obtained the gun hidden in his home and fatally shot the intruder, 22-year-old, Jeff Jean-Baptiste. Campbell’s girlfriend and teenage daughter were also in the home at the time and were not injured.
Broward Sheriff’s Office investigated the shooting at the 8100 block of Southwest 11th Street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and found some major inconsistencies. The son of Campbell’s girlfriend, Rahman Lee, 34, had already left the home and each member of the house advised that he was not present during the shooting, leaving even more suspicion.
Detectives were unsure that Campbell had actually fatally shot Jean-Baptiste since gun residue was not present on his hands. The location that Campbell stated that he was standing was also inconsistent with the entry and exit point of the gunshot wound. The stories of the other persons in the house were also inconsistent based on the location of the shooting, where the sound was heard, and what was seen. Detectives decided to investigate further, looking into the son’s criminal records.
Detectives later learned that Campbell’s story was fabricated and that Lee was on the back porch smoking marijuana when the intruder attempted to enter a back shed. Lee advised the detectives that he was startled and shot at the intruder, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Lee was previously charged with cocaine trafficking in 2002 and was not allowed to possess a firearm after his felony conviction. The family members covered up for Lee in fear that he may be imprisoned again for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Campbell covered up for Lee in attempt to remove the possibility of being convicted for the firearm. Authorities have concluded that Jean-Baptiste’s motive was to burglarize the property. Detectives have turned the case over to the State Attorney for review until the outcome of the investigation is completed.
Regardless of the attempted burglary, Lee was not allowed to possess a firearm. The firearm may have saved his family’s life, but it could cost him some major time in the slammer.