Man charged with murder one day after police offer $500,000 reward
Coffs Harbour police have charged a 66-year-old man with the murder of Duncan Campbell, one day after announcing a $500,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Campbell’s body was discovered just over a year ago on February 12, 2024, in bushland near his campsite on John Champion Way. Initially, authorities did not consider his death suspicious. However, a medical review later revealed that the 58-year-old had been brutally assaulted, prompting a homicide investigation.
Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty explained that humid and wet weather conditions had significantly decomposed the body, leading to the initial incorrect assessment of the cause of death. This misjudgment resulted in delays to the murder inquiry.
On Tuesday, police issued a public reward of $500,000 for information on the case. Less than 24 hours later, strike force detectives arrested the suspect in Coffs Harbour. The man has been charged with murder and is accused of bludgeoning Campbell to death with a steel pole. He was refused bail and is set to appear in court.
Campbell, a father of four and grandfather, had been living in a campsite with other rough sleepers near City Hill before his disappearance. Detective Superintendent Doherty noted that Campbell was well-regarded by those who knew him.
"He was a loving father and grandfather," Doherty said. "[He] fell on hard times in recent years that led to him sleeping rough. He was a decent man; there was no criminality from Duncan."
Campbell was reported missing by his family after they lost contact with him. Police discovered his body a week later in nearby bushland.
Campbell’s murder comes amid a troubling rise in homicide cases in the Coffs Harbour-Grafton region. According to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), the area recorded five murders in the year ending September 2024 – the highest annual total in the past decade.
Image: NSW Police