12042015 - News Article - Cop charged with murder ordered to avoid his three children

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11182015 - Tiara Thomas OIDV Murder, Portage Indiana - Gary/Hammond Indiana Police Officer Kevin Campbell Charged With Murder

Cop charged with murder ordered to avoid his three children

Bob Kasarda 

NWI Times

December 04, 2015

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/cop-charged-with-murder-ordered-to-avoid-his-three-children/article_083164ea-3363-5a35-a598-3f2a87bc68b8.html

VALPARAISO | Former police officer Kevin Campbell was ordered by a court Friday to avoid contact with his children as he faces a charge of killing their mother.

Campbell hesitated a moment before responding, "Yes your honor," to the order issued by Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford.

The order came during an initial hearing for Campbell, 31, held via a videoconferencing system.

Campbell was represented by defense attorney Roy Dominguez, who attended the short hearing along with Porter County Prosecutor Brian Gensel.

A preliminary plea of not guilty was entered on Campbell's behalf and hearings were set for Feb. 8 and March 7.

Campbell will remain behind bars without bond as a result of the murder charge.

Campbell was arrested Thursday morning and charged with the slaying of Tiara Thomas, 30, who was found covered in blood about 7:30 a.m. Nov. 18 in her unit at Park Place Apartments, 5970 Old Porter Road in Portage. She was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary, where she was pronounced dead at 8:21 a.m. from gunshot wounds.

Court documents point to arguments over child support and other money-related matters as a motive.

Police believe Campbell shot Thomas sometime between 4:37 a.m. and 5:55 a.m., then took their three children to school.

The affidavit indicates Campbell kept the three children overnight at his home in Hobart the night before Thomas was killed. It also alleges Campbell requested his oldest child bring him a key to the apartment nearly two weeks before the homicide.

There was no forced entry into Thomas' apartment the morning she was killed, according to the court document.

Campbell paid Thomas nearly $1,500 per month in child support and the two often argued about the money and how it was spent, according to charging information. The charges indicate Campbell was in debt and his vehicle had been repossessed.

Campbell, a probationary officer, was fired from the job in the wake of the killing after being identified as a person of interest in the case.

Campbell was also a police officer on the Gary Police Department from Aug. 3, 2011 to Jan. 11, 2015, when he left to join the Hammond department.