HARRISONBURG, Va. – In a courtroom in Rockingham County Circuit Court, Alexander Campbell, a 29-year-old man, changed the course of his fate. Originally set for trial in the shooting deaths of two esteemed law enforcement officers on the Bridgewater College campus in 2022, Campbell opted to plead guilty instead. His plea led to a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of Bridgewater College Officer John Painter and Campus Safety Officer J.J. Jefferson. Campbell also admitted guilt to two counts of using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Accepting the terms of the plea agreement, the judge presiding over the case handed down two consecutive life sentences, in addition to six years in prison. The trial, which was initially slated for April, was averted by Campbell’s decision to plead guilty. Painter, aged 55, and Jefferson, aged 48, were not just colleagues but close friends who were affectionately known on campus as the “dynamic duo.” Campbell, a former student at the college from 2013 to 2017, had even been a member of the cross-country team during his time there.
The tragic incident unfolded on February 1, 2022, when the two officers responded to a call reporting a suspicious individual on the grounds of Memorial Hall at Bridgewater College. Accounts from witnesses at a later judicial hearing depicted Campbell engaged in a confrontation with Painter and Jefferson before opening fire. Despite claims of mental illness, Campbell was deemed fit to stand trial, with one officer detailing his appearance of coherence during the arrest. Notably, Campbell expressed a desire to apologize to the families of the slain officers.
Following Campbell’s guilty plea, prosecutor Marsha Garst outlined the evidence she would have presented had the case proceeded to trial. Shockingly, it was revealed that Campbell had been residing unlawfully in the basement of Memorial Hall for several days leading up to the shooting. Furthermore, he was found in possession of the firearm utilized in the officers’ killings, along with additional weapons and a lock-picking kit.
Family members of the deceased officers conveyed impact statements before Campbell’s sentencing — a decision made in part to spare the victims’ loved ones the anguish of a protracted trial, as confirmed by Garst. Finalizing the ordeal, a plea agreement was reached with the consultation and approval of the families affected. Situated in Virginia’s picturesque Shenandoah Valley, Bridgewater College now bears the heavy weight of this heartrending tragedy.