Suspect in gay sailor's death commits suicide

[TommyO]

(CNN) -- A sailor accused of killing another sailor was found dead in his cell in a southern California military jail, officials said Friday.

Petty Officer Jonathan Campos was found dead in the brig at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, a military statement said.

The cause of death was self-inflicted asphyxiation, according to the statement.

Campos had been charged with murder in the June 30 shooting death of Seaman August Provost.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/01/california.sailor.dead/index.html
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First the murder of a gay sailor, and now a suicide by the accused. How conveniently tidy now that no further testimony will be coming out.


I also posted this in Latest Breaking News

[Starry Messenger]

1. k&r

for thoughtful editorial that cuts to the heart of the matter.

[xchrom]

2. self inflicted asphyxiation. -- you gotta really really wanna die to go that way. nt

[Toasterlad]

3. This Is a Puzzle.

While I certainly wouldn't put it past the military to have arranged this death, I wonder what the motivation would be. While I think the majority of us realize that DADT creates an atmosphere of distrust and paranoia that hurts gay servicemembers, I think the unofficial official line is that DADT PROTECTS gay servicemembers from hate crimes. It seems unlikely in that case that the military would want to "cover up" a hate crime: I'd think the reaction would more likely be a statement to the effect of, "See, they found out he's gay, and look what happened!" In any case, it certainly DOES seem AWFULLY convenient that this guy killed himself. And either way, I can't say I'm sorry he's dead.

[Libertas1776]

4. I honestly believe

that he may have been one of those self hating gays from an ultra fundie, pray the gay away family, who may have "given in" to his true feelings and had an encounter with the victim. Then, in great hatred for the victim as well as himself for "encouraging" these feelings, he ended up killing him and eventually himself. It is, sadly, very plausible. On the other hand, he could just be some sick minded homophobe. Either way, if DADT was repealed and their was and air of openness and acceptance, all of this could have been avoided.

[Meldread]

6. That was my gut impression was well.

My gut just tells me that this guy was secretly gay, and ended up having sex with the sailor he killed. Then after he was caught he couldn't live with the fact that he had murdered someone, the fact that he was gay, AND that his life was going to be ruined as a result of his actions. Plus, there would have been the humiliation of the details of his gay love affair coming out - literally. To a serious closet case, someone willing to kill to keep things quiet, it is worth dying for to avoid having that revealed.

I also agree about DADT being repealed might have prevented this... so sad.

[mitchtv]

5. no use in me speculating

except , of course, on how much money he saved the Gov't.

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. tragedy in every direction. How horrible for the people who care about them. n/t

[David Zephyr]

8. I'm suspicious of his "suicide". That's how jaded I am.

Like you, TommyO, I see only how it makes it all "conveniently tidy" now. Anyone else involved, anyone higher up, well they get to skate free and kill again.