In the early morning hours of July 1st, it was widely reported that Nateal Campbell, the mother of NFL veteran Calais Campbell, had been found dead in her Atlanta home on Tuesday afternoon. She was 71 years old.
Shortly after that, a suspect was in custody. That suspect turned out to be Ciarre Campbell, Calais’ brother. He is reportedly being held in Fulton County Jail on charges of murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm or knife. Ciarre is 41 years old and played college football at Colorado State and Montana.
A well-respected veteran of the NFL, Campbell was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2008 draft. He would stay with the Cardinals through 2016, before bouncing around the NFL, with stops playing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. He has since had a second stint with the Cardinals and is in a second stint with the Ravens now.
In 2019, he was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He’s now 39 years old and still playing in the NFL.
Atlanta Police Responded to a Welfare Check at the Home of Nateal Campbell
Atlanta Police received a call to perform a welfare check at the home of Nateal Campbell on Tuesday afternoon. According to Lt. Christapher Butler of the Atlanta Police Department’s Homicide Unit, there had been previous concerns at the home.
“A brief look into the history does show some calls back in April dealing with this location a possible arson incident,” Butler told WSB TV. “There have been some indications of possible some mental health issues with an individual.”
When police did arrive, they found Nateal Campbell’s body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police also found that a male had barricaded himself inside the home. That forced officers on the scene to enter and detain the man, who was later identified as Ciarre Campbell.
At this time, few further details about the investigation are widely available. However, that investigation is ongoing.
The Family of Calais Campbell Released a Statement
The entire Campbell family is, obviously, devastated with the news. Trying to express their grief, the family released a statement shortly after news of Nateal Campbell’s death.
“We are devastated to share that the Campbell Family has lost its matriarch, Mrs. Nateal Campbell,” the statement read. “While the details of her passing are still being investigated, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with our father, her beloved Chuck, and in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask for privacy at this time so that we may honor her and share in our overwhelming grief privately and as a family.”
For his part, Calais Campbell remains one of the most well-respected veterans in the entire NFL. That has been in no small part due to his off-field charity work.
Campbell and his family founded the Charles R. Campbell Foundation. The hope was to honor his late father while also supporting mentorship and education. Both Nateal and Ciarre Campbell are co-founders of that, as it was a family effort.
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