Julia Campbell (journalist)

Julia Campbell (January 25, 1967 – April 8, 2007) was an American journalist. She disappeared on April 8, 2007 while working as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and discovered on April 18 in a shallow grave where she had been buried after being murdered.[1]

For other people named Julia Campbell, see Julia Campbell (disambiguation).
Julia Campbell
Born(1967-01-25)January 25, 1967
Virginia, United States
DiedApril 8, 2007(2007-04-08) (aged 40)
near the Banaue Rice Terraces, Ifugao Province, Philippines
OccupationPeace Corps volunteer; freelance journalist
Notable credit(s)
The New York Times, People
FamilyEd Morris (brother-in-law)

The Philippine House of Representatives awarded her with its "Congressional Medal of Achievement" in June 2007.[2] Later, an eco-park in the Philippines was established as a memorial.[3]

Personal

Julia Campbell was the daughter of US Marine Lt. Col. William R. Campbell Jr and Linda Martin Campbell. She graduated with an English degree from James Madison University[4][5]

Career

She began her journalism career with The Connection, a Virginian newspaper. From there she worked for the Greenwich Time in Connecticut, the Times Herald-Record in New York, and the St. Petersburg Times in Florida.[4][6] She was based in New York City, working for ABCNews.com and CourtTV [7] and contributing as a freelancer to The New York Times[8][9][10] and People magazine, among others.[11]

While working as a freelance reporter with the Times she was arrested while covering the funeral of rapper Notorious B.I.G.. She was charged with disorderly conduct for arguing with a police officer. The charge was later dropped.[12]

She covered Typhoon Durian from the Philippines.[13] In 2005, Campbell changed career to become a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines.

Death

On April 18, 2007, Campbell's body was found in a shallow grave near the village of Batad in Ifugao Province. A search party of Philippine army soldiers noticed her feet sticking out of a mound of fresh earth in a creek near the remote village.[11][14]

Juan Duntugan confessed to Campbell's death, claiming that it was not premeditated. He stated that he had just finished fighting with his neighbor when Campbell bumped into him, making him drop what he was carrying. In his anger, he hit Campbell with a rock.[15]

In a controversial statement made during the April 20 broadcast of a local news program, Philippine Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez stated that Campbell herself was partially to blame, that she was "a little irresponsible", that "if she was not alone, it would not have happened.", and that she was "careless".[16][17]

Duntugan was found guilty of murder ("treachery and use of superior strength" being two of the aggravating circumstances) and sentenced to 40 years imprisonment (reclusion perpetua) without parole. Campbell's elder sister and her American friends were present on June 30, 2008, when Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor ordered Duntugan to pay Campbell's family P 39.67 million ($889,000) in damages, including her funeral expenses.[18][19]

Burial

Her remains were cremated in Manila on April 25, 2007. Afterwards, a memorial service was held at the Roman Catholic church in Fairfax, Virginia. Her brother-in-law Ed Morris, speaking for the family, said her greatest contribution was her Peace Corps service in the Philippines.

JCampbell Park

JCampbell Park, also known as Julia Campbell Agroforest Memorial Eco-Park, is a 40-hectare (100-acre) eco-park in Asipulo, Ifugao. It was established in June 2007 in Campbell's memory, to advance the causes she had advocated as a community volunteer. Activities include camping, trekking and hiking aside from planting of fruit-bearing trees in the park. The land was donated by the family of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Puguon Sr.[3]

References
  1. "Filipino charged for murder of Peace Corps volunteer". Reuters. 2007-04-30. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  2. Rosario, Ben R (2007-04-28). "House to honor Campbell with Medal of Achievement – JdV". Manilla Bulletin. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  3. Codamon, Dan B. "Campbell Memorial Park seen to boost ecotourism in Ifugao town". Philippine Mabuhay News. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  4. Virginia Senate Joint Resolution, No. 149, 1988.
  5. "Julia Campbell ('89)" (blog). James Madison University - Be the Change. 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  6. Magno, Alex T (2007-04-18). "Julia Campbell: A writer, adventurer till the end". GMA News TV. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  7. "Chat". Court TV Online. Archived from the original on 2007-06-30.
  8. Campbell, Julia. "Convict Says DNA Shows His Innocence In '84 Killing." The New York Times, January 12, 1995.
  9. Campbell, Julia. "Window on Corruption: The Case of a 48th Precinct Officer." The New York Times, March 31, 1995.
  10. Campbell, Julia. "The Fifth Man: A special report.; After Decade, a Child Abuse Case Lives On." The New York Times, July 19, 1995.
  11. "Body of missing Peace Corps worker found". The Associated Press. USA Today. April 18, 2007.
  12. "Julia Campbell remembered in NYC". World - Americas. GMANews.TV. April 20, 2007. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  13. Campbell, Julia (2006-12-10). "Heartbreak, laughter merge for typhoon survivors". CNN. Archived from the original on 2013-04-07. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
  14. "Body of Missing Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell Found in Philippines". World. FOXNEws.com. April 18, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  15. "Suspect in Peace Corps Death Confesses". World. heraldnews.com. April 27, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
  16. "TV Patrol World". TV Patrol. Metro Manila. 2007-04-20. ABS-CBN. ABS-CBN Channel 2.
  17. "Campbell partly to blame for own tragedy- DOJ". Nation. GMANews.TV. April 19, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  18. Merueñas, Mark; Almirol, Bernabe (2008-06-30). "Court convicts suspect in Julia Campbell killing". GMA News. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  19. "Life Sentence For Killer Of US Peace Corsp Volunteer Julia Campbell". Mindanao Examiner. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
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