Last of 5 defendants found guilty in 2011 murders of Willard couple

A jailhouse confession helped prosecutors secure a conviction against the man who ordered the 2011 abduction and killing of a Willard couple.

Following a weeklong trial in Jasper County, Robert L. Campbell, 72, was found guilty Wednesday of two counts of second-degree murder for his role in the April 2011 killings of Russell and Rebecca Porter.

Campbell was Russell Porter's uncle and neighbor.

Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell prosecuted the case. Merrell said Campbell was driving a semitrailer to Texas at the time of the murder, but the evidence showed Campbell paid other family members to kill the couple.

One key piece of evidence, Merrell said, was a jailhouse confession.

Campbell, in an emotional state following a prayer service, made an admission to his cellmate at the Jasper County Jail that he had hired Tony Friend to kill the Porters.

Merrell said Campbell's attorneys argued Friend was capable of committing the crime without Campbell's direction. After 10 hours of deliberation, however, the jury concluded that Campbell was guilty of second-degree murder.

The jury recommended Campbell be sentenced to life in prison. A formal sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 12.

The Porters disappeared in April 2011. Their skeletal remains were found in remote Taney County in late July 2011. The coroner said each died of gunshot wounds to the head.

Prosecutors say Campbell recruited four other people to abduct and kill the couple.

Those four people — Tony Friend, Windy Friend, Phillip Friend and Dusty Hicks — have each been convicted of murder.

Merrell said the evidence presented at trial shed some light on Campbell's motive. He said Campbell believed the Porters were spying on him and reporting his activity to police. He said Campbell was also jealous about the portion of the family land the Porters were living on.

There were several factors that caused Campbell's case to move slowly through the court system, including the death of a judge and Campbell's decision to change attorneys, according to Merrell.

Merrell thanked the victims' families for their patience and support over the last five years.

"I'm thankful that our office was able to be a part of this," Merrell said. "It was a huge undertaking and a very challenging investigation. To have it end successfully is very rewarding."

The Greene County Sheriff's Office was the lead agency on this case.

Capt. Kenny Weatherford, with the sheriff's office, said he had faith the jury would find Campbell guilty.

"We are very happy with the most recent verdict," Weatherford said. "The detectives worked very hard on this lengthy investigation. We hope this can also bring some closure and peace of mind to the victims' families."

Todd Myers, Greene County chief assistant prosecutor, was closely involved in the case before it was determined the homicides occurred in Taney County.

Myers said the Greene County Prosecutor's Office was pleased with the outcome of the Campbell trial this week.

Myers said investigators with the Greene County Sheriff's Office did a good job sorting through the information and misinformation early on in the case, and the Taney County Prosecutor's Office made sure the defendants were held accountable.

Previous court records reveal a heated dispute between Campbell and the Porters.

Less than a month before the Porters disappeared, Russell Porter filed for a protection order against Campbell.

In those Greene County documents, Russell Porter wrote he and his wife had been harassed and threatened by Campbell.

For his part, Campbell wrote that he was afraid of Russell Porter because "I am old and got medical health problems."

Two weeks after the Porters disappeared, Greene County deputies searched 120 acres that surrounded their home on Highway HH in Willard — including land on which Campbell lived.