Their crimes were heinous. Two teenagers face murder, attempted murder, burglary, and armed robbery charges. Jacob Mouzon (17) and Drake Campbell (18) sat silently in court while the judge decided whether or not to grant bail.
A Surprising Reaction
However, it was the two teenagers who began to sob when they realized the gravity of their situation, not the judge’s decision, that elicited an unexpected reaction.
Just two of a five-man group, these two South Carolina teens were suspects in a grisly home invasion and murder in the quiet community of Huger. For one teen, trouble seemed to follow the family.
Murder & Home Invasion Suspects
Drake Campbell’s older brother Kenneth was also involved in the incident and had pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges only a year prior. To say these boys were trouble would be an understatement.
In the days prior to the boys appearing in front of the judge, Jacob Mouzon’s mother pleaded for mercy.
A Mother’s Plea
His sister even spoke on his behalf, claiming that Jacob was her best friend and he had simply made a horrible mistake. She did not discount the severity of the situation, but believed overall he was a “good kid.”
Drake Campbell’s family also tried to appeal to the judge’s good graces, hoping for him to grant bail.
Trying to Prove Character
The family tried to paint Drake as a good boy and not awful kids. However, the prosecution vehemently disagreed.
Appearing before the judge, the prosecution argued that bond should be denied, “due to the violent nature of the crime… and also the fact it took four law enforcement agencies two days to apprehend the offenders.”
Denied Bond
Jacob and Drake’s last hope all rested on the judge’s good graces. No one knew how he would respond and it was very unexpected.
The boys attempted to keep calm and maintain their composure, but unfortunately, emotions got the best of them.
The Tears Flow
As their charges were laid out before the judge, the boys knew things were not looking good in regards to their fates. The gravity of the situation bore down on them, and soon the tears began to flow uncontrollably.
Unfortunately for the teens, a summary court judge is not able to grant or deny bail when it comes to murder charges. Therefore, even if the judge wanted to grant bail, he wouldn’t be able to do so.
No Bond Allowed
This left their fate in the hands of a circuit court judge, but due to the violent nature of their crimes, there was little hope the ruling would turn in their favor.
For starters, the teens were considered a flight risk. They also were deemed a danger and threat to society due to the extreme nature of their charges.
The Nature of Crimes
You won’t believe what they did…you probably wouldn’t want to grant bail either.
According to the police reports, both Drake and Jacob were involved in a home invasion that transformed into an execution-style murder. For the victims, Kadeem Johnson and his girlfriend, it was simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
An Execution-Style Murder
The couple was simply returning home for the day when they came face-to-face with five men lurking in their home. It was then things took a turn for the worse.
The group of men forced both Johnson and his girlfriend into the house at gunpoint. They were loud and obnoxious during the robbery.
A Robbery Gone Wrong
They stole her purse and also robbed the couple of roughly $3,000 in cash before tearing the house apart searching for other valuable items. However, the men didn’t stop there…and things took a very violent turn.
In his own home, Johnson was bound with duct tape and forced to his knees. These criminals were disrespectful with everything they did. It was easy enough to just take everything and leave, but they took it a step further.
A Horrific Affair
There was no time to beg for mercy or plea for his life because moments later he was brutally shot in the head.
Not satisfied with killing only Johnson, the group turned on his girlfriend. What they did next really showed how barbaric they were.
The Girlfriend Becomes the Target
She was shot in the hands and chest, before the men fled the scene, leaving her to die in a pool of her own blood.
Stealing the vehicles that were left on the property, the men sped away without a thought for the horrific acts they just committed.
Fleeing the Scene
However, it was then the story took a very weird turn according to the detectives.
Three of the suspects had fled to the woods and were later arrested.
Apprehended in the Woods
It was a strange place for them to flee to according to the police since the team’s canine unit was able to easily track them down. Maybe they thought the woods was a good hiding place?
Thanks to a tip from a local citizen, the police were easily able to locate both Jacob and Drake in the nearby forest.
Police and Bloodhounds on the Trail
Drake’s brother had also been arrested a few hours earlier in another wooded area. It seemed the cover of trees was not enough to save these criminals from the law.
Both Jacob and Drake had spent two days in the woods before they were found by the authorities. According to the sheriff, the boys did not put up a struggle.
Hidden in the Forest
“They were exhausted, did not put up a fight… we brought EMS in to check ’em out because of the amount of time they’d been in the woods.”
One question on everyone’s mind involved in the case is what was the motive? Why did Johnson and his girlfriend have to be the targets?
Unclear Motives
The sheriff believed that they would soon find a clear message behind the murder, but there are some clues.
The fact that $3,000 was stolen during the home invasion is a major clue that the group of men knew the money would be there beforehand.
Theories Behind the Crimes
It’s possible they were all connected to Johnson through business dealings or friends. Although, no one is 100% sure and it remains a theory at this point.
However, there was a silver lining in this horrible case, Johnson’s girlfriend managed to survive and not succumb to her injuries.
A Lucky Break
Unfortunately, it is believed she may not be able to identify her attackers at this point. Therefore, the police are relying on the public for help.
The police have been quick to thank the local community for help and are hoping justice is served when it comes to the two teens involved. Two years after the deadly home invasion and murder, the police department got their wish.
A Special Thanks
Jacob Mouzon was sentenced to 40 years in prison and Drake Campbell was given 20 years. Now, with time and healing, maybe the victim’s family can find peace.