A 17-year-old male faces two counts of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Citadel cadet Dustin Rose and his childhood friend Samson Campbell, authorities announced. The suspect, whose name is being withheld as he has not yet been charged as an adult, was arrested Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals Service.
During a press conference, officials stated that the three individuals involved knew each other. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood detailed the suspect's criminal record, which dates back to 2021 and includes charges such as aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, multiple counts of battery, drug possession, vehicle theft, and resisting an officer. Chitwood asserted that these charges were frequently dropped, dismissed, or resolved with probation, leading to minimal consequences for the suspect.
"It makes you wonder if our justice system held [the teen] accountable from the start, maybe things would have turned out different," Chitwood stated. He suggested that the suspect's repeated ability to avoid significant punishment was due to a lack of prosecution by State Attorney Monique Worrell for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. The sheriff added that the teen was reportedly in a diversion program for drug possession and disturbing a school function prior to the alleged double murder.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also criticized Worrell, calling her "neglect of duty and incompetence" a danger to the circuit and stating that "soft on crime policies do not work."
Worrell responded to the criticism, saying in a statement, "It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the appointed Attorney General continues to make politically motivated statements without knowing all the facts. Public safety deserves thoughtful leadership and not rhetoric designed to score political points." She also noted that the most recent case referenced by Sheriff Chitwood did not occur within the Ninth Judicial Circuit, but rather his own Seventh Circuit, placing it outside her office's jurisdiction.
Rose, 19, was a cadet at The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and was home on break at the time of his death. In a message to the campus community, Citadel President Gen. Frank McKenzie described Rose as a "team leader and was a valued friend and classmate." Rose was also a member of the South Carolina National Guard. His mother, Rachel Rose, described him as "such a light in our family" and expressed devastation over his loss.
Campbell, 18, was a DeLand native who had been staying with his aunt in the Chicago area. His aunt, Karen Chobin, said Campbell was in town to help Rose spread his dog's ashes. "It was a traumatic loss. It wasn't a passing of old age. It was awful. And then for this to be what he's welcomed with when he goes down there to mourn his loss is devastating," Chobin said.
Rose and Campbell were found deceased in a vacant lot around 10:40 p.m. on July 29. Surveillance video showed the two young men walking together on the evening before they were discovered. R.J. Larizza, state attorney of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, indicated during a news conference that the teen suspect would likely be charged as an adult. The suspect's father was also arrested on charges of felony accessory after the fact.