Murder suspect accused of strangling Eastern State nurse, faking mental illness while awaiting trial

A man suspected of the 2017 stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend in Spokane Valley will also face trial in April for allegedly strangling an Eastern State Hospital nurse while in custody in March.

But after multiple delays for mental health evaluations, the suspect’s physician now believes he was faking a mental illness to avoid prosecution. To secure a conviction, prosecutors have issued warrants to detain two material witnesses for the trial.

David M. Campbell, 40, faces a first-degree premeditated murder charge, a more serious offense than the second-degree murder charge for which he was arrested.

Campbell is accused of stabbing Jamie R. Bradshaw to death in the driveway of her home. They shared a son who became the subject of a custody conundrum, and a judge ordered Campbell not to have contact with the boy.

About an hour before Bradshaw was discovered dead, roommates told detectives an “agitated” Campbell came to the home demanding to talk to Bradshaw, according to court documents. The two went outside to talk in the driveway.

In addition, court documents say, a neighbor told law enforcement Campbell had threatened Bradshaw’s life just weeks before.

Campbell was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in California as a teenager in 1996 and of third-degree assault in Spokane in 2016. Voluntary manslaughter in California is defined as “the unlawful killing of a human being without malice … upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion.”

After Bradshaw’s death, Campbell was arrested in Spokane following an hourslong manhunt and initially charged with second-degree murder. Investigators noted Campbell had changed clothes but appeared to have blood on his shoes.

Campbell’s case was delayed multiple times due to concerns about his competency to stand trial.

An Eastern State Hospital physician diagnosed Campbell with delusional disorder in April 2018 and twice recommended Campbell be committed to restore his competency for trial. Hospital staff detailed three vulgar outbursts from Campbell after that, in addition to a fight and an alleged assault.

Campbell questioned people about surveillance, mind-reading and coincidences, according to court documents. He also had anxieties about federal agents in Spokane and refused to be represented by a contracted public defender or the Spokane County Public Defender’s Office staff.

Before Bradshaw’s death, Campbell lived at homeless shelters and told Frontier Behavioral Health staff he stayed there to avoid being woken up by people trying to break into his apartment, court documents say. He had also said he knew people with mental health issues could be fast-tracked to receive subsidized housing.

Last spring, hospital staff reported overhearing Campbell on the phone discussing his strategy to decline representation from lawyers as a way to delay a competency evaluation and avoid prosecution. He said he thought he’d be released in a month if he did that.

A week later, Campbell allegedly strangled a hospital staff member, “took her to the ground” and punched her, court documents say. Staff had previously found contraband in his room, and Campbell later said he was upset with the staff member for searching his room so often. Staff informed supervisors they were afraid of Campbell.

Soon after the alleged attack, a physician determined in May that Campbell was competent, noting that he no longer talked about delusions, agreed to be represented by an attorney and understood the judicial process. That conclusion came after another physician said Campbell was faking mental illness.

Campbell’s physician suggested Campbell planned the attack on a hospital staff member to distract from his phone call, where he outlined his strategy to establish his incompetency by rejecting legal services, court documents say.

A judge signed $100,000 warrants to detain two material witnesses in Campbell’s case in January, court documents say. Prosecutors said Theresa Raddas and Luke Miller were avoiding interviews with investigators.

Raddas, who was released from jail after appearing in court Tuesday, was the roommate of Bradshaw, who saw Campbell arrive at their home in an agitated state. She found Bradshaw’s body after she saw them step outside to talk.

Miller, who also lived with Bradshaw, initially told law enforcement he was woken up by the sound of Campbell and Bradshaw arguing. He has not been arrested.

Campbell’s trial for first-degree murder and second-degree assault is scheduled to being April 13.