Edward Russell Butch Campbell, a 36-year-old Caucasian man, was killed on December 22, 1978, in Saint Clair, Illinois. His death was treated as a murder and became part of a larger investigation tied to a string of violent crimes in the area that included armed robbery and multiple homicides.

Investigators linked the matter to an armed robbery at the Leading Food Store in East St. Louis on November 15, 1975, during which store owners Ben Seigel and Emanuel Ukman were shot and killed and Police Officer Bruce Moore was severely wounded. Edward Spicer, James Phillips and Earl Good were indicted on related charges that included two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of armed robbery. Spicer was convicted on all counts and given 200 to 400 years for the murders plus 10 to 30 years on other charges; Phillips was convicted and received 20 to 60 years; Good pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 to 180 years.

The prosecutions involved complex legal proceedings with multiple appeals and questions about representation. Does anyone have additional information about Campbell or the broader series of crimes in St. Clair County?