Jamani Campbell

Jamani Campbell, a 29-year-old Black man from Santa Rosa, California, was found dead in the early hours of September 18, 2020. Police had described him as homeless. His life was cut short by a gunshot wound, leaving a community searching for answers.

Just after midnight, at around 12:20 a.m., a security guard discovered Mr. Campbell unconscious and not breathing at the rear of a business on College Avenue, near Memorial Hospice. When emergency personnel arrived, they pronounced him deceased at the scene. Investigators later reviewed security video from nearby witnesses which showed a car leaving the back parking lot at 12:07 a.m. The sound of two gunshots was heard immediately after.

The Santa Rosa Police Department opened a homicide investigation and asked for the public's help. The inquiry led detectives to identify Kirk Williams, a 43-year-old Santa Rosa resident, as a person of interest. On October 1, 2020, police served a search warrant at Williams' home. He was arrested that day on outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants related to domestic violence.

While Williams was in custody on the unrelated charges, detectives continued to gather witness statements and physical evidence in the Campbell homicide. Investigators believed they had established probable cause, and on October 8, 2020, they arrested Williams on suspicion of murdering Jamani Campbell. However, Williams was never formally charged in the case. He was released from the Sonoma County Jail on October 13, 2020, after prosecutors determined they did not have enough evidence to prove criminal charges against him beyond a reasonable doubt.

The last public development in the case came in late October 2020, when Williams was scheduled for a court hearing regarding the possible filing of charges. The investigation into Jamani Campbell's death remains ongoing and his murder is unsolved. The Sonoma County Alliance is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information. Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the case is encouraged to call the Santa Rosa Police Violent Crimes Team at 707-543-3590.