Suspect identified: New details have emerged following the shocking incident that claimed the lives of childhood friends Dustin Rose (19) and Samson Campbell (18). As investigators continue to piece together the events, authorities state they are working to determine the motive behind the attack. The case has left the local community in shock, while detectives attempt to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to this tragedy. See the full suspect statement in the comments 👇
**Two Childhood Friends Gunned Down in DeLand: Citadel Cadet and Companion Killed in Apparent Meeting That Turned Deadly; 17-Year-Old Suspect Arrested**
In the quiet historic downtown of DeLand, Florida, a summer evening that began with two young men walking together on a sidewalk ended in tragedy that has left families devastated and a community searching for answers. Dustin Rose, 19, a cadet at The Citadel in South Carolina and a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard, and his childhood friend Samson Campbell, 18, were found shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene on the night of July 29, 2026. Their bodies were discovered on a vacant industrial property at 213 West New York Avenue, behind the landmark Athens Theatre. On August 5, U.S. Marshals arrested 17-year-old Keyan Jayden Rundell in Ellenton, Florida, charging him with two counts of second-degree murder.
Authorities say the three young men knew one another “in some capacity.” They met at the rear of the property on the evening of July 28. That meeting, according to DeLand Police Chief Jason D. Umberger, “resulted in the shooting of multiple rounds and the murder of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell.” Investigators have not publicly detailed a precise motive, though some reports note an altercation preceded the killings. Rundell, described as a Black male approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and 110 pounds with black hair and brown eyes, was considered armed and dangerous while at large. He has a documented prior criminal history that includes aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations.
Rose and Campbell were last captured on surveillance video walking on a sidewalk around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28. The following evening, shortly before 11 p.m., one of the victims’ mothers located the young men after tracking a phone and finding them behind an abandoned trailer on the industrial lot. She called 911. Officers arrived at approximately 10:40 p.m. and discovered both had been shot multiple times. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The two were childhood friends who had grown up in the Volusia County area. Rose, originally from the DeLeon Springs community near DeLand, was home on summer break from The Citadel, the prestigious military college in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was pursuing studies in Intelligence and Security Studies while serving in the South Carolina Army National Guard. Friends and family described him as driven by a long-held dream of military service—a young man known for his kindness, generosity, and determination to make a positive difference. Campbell had recently been living with an aunt in the Chicago area after growing up in DeLand. He had returned home to mourn the recent death of the family’s 8-year-old dog, Hinata, and to spread the pet’s ashes. Rose had come from South Carolina specifically to support his friend in that difficult ritual. Campbell was staying with Rose’s grandparents during the visit.
“These were very, very good boys that could have done really good in the world,” Campbell’s aunt, Karen Chobin, said in the days after the killings. Rose’s mother, Rachel Rose, who found the bodies after searching for hours when the pair failed to respond to messages, remembered her son as “the kindest, most giving, gentle soul you could have ever met.” She added that he “was gonna be somebody” and wanted to serve his country. The loss of a National Guard member and aspiring intelligence professional has resonated beyond the immediate families, prompting expressions of grief from military communities and The Citadel network.
DeLand Police moved quickly once the bodies were discovered. By the afternoon of July 30, investigators had identified a person of interest from surveillance footage collected near the scene. On the night of August 1, with assistance from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, officers executed a search warrant at a home on Loughton Street, roughly three miles from the crime scene. There they recovered clothing believed to have been worn by the suspect on the night of the killings, an e-bike thought to have been used to travel to and from the location, and other evidence that documented Rundell’s movements immediately afterward. An arrest warrant for two counts of second-degree murder was issued on August 4. Police publicly released Rundell’s description and warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous, urging the public not to approach him. A reward was offered for information leading to his location.
Rundell was located and taken into custody without incident early on August 5 at a hotel in Ellenton, a community in Manatee County near Bradenton on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The arrest was carried out by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. He was held at the Manatee County jail pending transfer to Volusia County. Chief Umberger noted that nearly 1,200 hours of personnel time had been dedicated to the investigation in less than a week. While Rundell is believed to be the sole shooter, investigators continue to examine whether others may have planned, aided, or assisted in the crime, concealed evidence, or helped him while he was a fugitive.
The case has unfolded against the backdrop of DeLand, a city of roughly 40,000 residents known for its historic downtown, Stetson University, and the restored Athens Theatre, a cultural landmark dating to the early 20th century. The industrial property where the bodies were found sits in an area that mixes commercial and underutilized spaces near the theater district. Local officials emphasized that there was no evidence linking the double homicide to other recent incidents in the area, seeking to quell community speculation. Police asked anyone who saw or heard anything unusual involving Rose or Campbell between approximately 6 p.m. on July 28 and 10 p.m. on July 29 to come forward.
At a news conference after the arrest, Chief Umberger expressed hope that the apprehension would bring a measure of justice to the grieving families. “We hope that this arrest can bring some sense of justice to the families for the tragic loss of life that they are experiencing,” he said. He stressed that the investigation remains active and that motive details are still being developed. Early statements indicated the three young men had arranged to meet that evening; the precise reason for the gathering and what precipitated the violence have not been fully released to the public.
The killings have prompted reflection on the vulnerabilities young people face even in relatively small Florida cities. Rose’s path—from Volusia County roots to a military college and National Guard service—represented a classic American trajectory of ambition and service. Campbell’s return home for a private act of remembrance for a family pet underscored ordinary human bonds that were shattered by sudden violence. Family members have spoken of the dual trauma: first the loss of the dog in difficult circumstances, then the incomprehensible loss of the two young men who had come together to honor that memory.
Local coverage in outlets across Central Florida, including the Daytona Beach News-Journal, FOX 35 Orlando, ClickOrlando, and Spectrum News, tracked the investigation from the discovery of the bodies through the search warrant, the public identification of the suspect, and the arrest by federal marshals. National attention followed, particularly given Rose’s status as a Citadel cadet and National Guard member. The U.S. Marshals Service itself issued a formal press release announcing the capture. Claims of complete silence from mainstream media do not align with the documented reporting that appeared within days of the incident and continued through the arrest.
As the case moves into the judicial phase, Rundell faces the prospect of adult prosecution given the severity of the charges, though specific procedural details regarding his age remain subject to Florida law and court decisions. Prosecutors will need to establish the elements of second-degree murder, which under Florida statutes typically involves an unlawful killing with a depraved mind regardless of intent to cause death in the specific manner that occurred. The recovery of physical evidence, surveillance footage, and digital records of post-incident movements are expected to form key parts of the case.
Community members have left tributes near the Athens Theatre area and expressed support for the families. The Citadel community and National Guard units have also offered condolences. For the Rose and Campbell families, the arrest marks a critical step but not the end of their ordeal. Legal proceedings will take time, and the full story of why two friends who returned home for a quiet, personal purpose met such a violent end may emerge only gradually through court filings and testimony.
DeLand Police continue to urge anyone with additional information—whether about the meeting itself, subsequent movements of the suspect, or potential assistance provided to him—to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 386-626-7400 or submit tips through the department’s Crimewatch platform. Chief Umberger has repeatedly emphasized that every detail matters and that the department remains committed to delivering answers and accountability.
The deaths of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell illustrate how quickly ordinary summer plans can intersect with lethal violence. A Citadel cadet home on break, a young man returning from Chicago to honor a family pet, and a 17-year-old with a prior record of violent and weapons-related offenses crossed paths on a July evening in downtown DeLand. The result was two lives cut short and a community left to grapple with the aftermath. With the suspect in custody, the focus now shifts to the courts, where the facts of that deadly meeting will be examined in full. The families, meanwhile, continue the difficult work of mourning two young men described by those who knew them best as good, promising, and deeply loved.
