Anyone with information on John Albert Campos Sr. should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 1-623-466-1999.
The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the capture of John Albert Campos Sr., a 47-year old man accused of shooting and killing a retired police officer at a casino on Christmas Eve. Campos is alleged to have shot the man in the parking lot of the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, Arizona.
Gila River Police Detective Robert Hawkes also called for information that led to the arrest of Campos, who should be considered armed and dangerous. In what he called a “senseless murder”, Hawkes said the suspect killed Frank Pascua, a retired police officer from Bakersfield, California.
Frank Pascua’s Police Career
Frank Pascua, 52, worked for the Bakersfield police for 6½ years. Lt. Allan Abney of the Bakersfield Police Department said Pascua retired from active duty when his career was cut short by a traffic accident. At first, Frank Pascua was transported to a nearby hospital, but he died overnight.
After hearing of Pascua’s passing, the Bakersfield PD released a statement which said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frank’s family as they deal with this senseless tragedy. We hope for a rapid resolve in the search for the suspect and are confident that authorities in Arizona will not give up until the suspect is brought to justice.”
Description of the Murder
Clarence Pascua, the brother of the deceased, told KBAK News in Bakersfield, California that he witnessed the entire incident. He said that he, Frank Pascua, and Frank’s fiance drove up to the casino. As they were exiting the car, the suspect appeared with a gun and tried to carjack them.
Clarence Pascua described the scene: “We just arrived and it just happened like that. It was so quick. He pulled out a gun. [He said,] ‘Get the [expletive] out of the car.’ We got out of the car. I think my brother tried to grab it. It went off and then he got shot.”
Gila River police said the retired Bakersfield police officer was pronounced dead at a hospital. Before serving with the police, the deceased also was a former Marine.
“He Died a Hero”
Clarence Pascua said his brother died sacrificing himself. He added, “I want to say he died a hero and I think he possibly saved Brenda and my life too.”
Robert Hawkes said of Frank Pascua, “Our victim was trying to do what he’s been trained to do his entire life, which is stopping a crime and a dangerous person on the street.”
Wild Horse Pass Hotel Incident
Police emphasized this was “the only incident of its kind” to happen at any of the city’s three casinos. Authorities described the killing as a “random act of violence.”
The shooting happened around 9 pm on Thursday night in the parking area of the casino. The suspect is then thought to have carjacked a witness to the murder, driving away in a green Kia Soul.
John Campos’s Violent Past
According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Campos was sent to prison in 2005 for “numerous violent crimes”, including armed robbery and kidnapping. He was released from prison in 2014, but clearly has not been rehabilitated. Instead, he appears to have grown more violent since his 2005 crimes.
Description of John Campos
Campos is described by the FBI as a Hispanic male standing 5-feet-5-inches and weighing between 160 to 180 pounds. He has close-shaved brown hair, brown eyes, and was wearing a mustache at the time of the shooting. He is also said to have multiple tattoos on his back and arms.
At first, authorities believed the suspect might have been John Albert Campos, Jr. — the son of the man now accused of the crime. The man’s tattoos and overall look was close enough to his son’s that authorities thought they were the same man. Now, they have established that the older man is the suspect in the case.
FBI Tips Hotline
People with information on the suspect should call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the numbers 1-800-CALL-FBI or 623-466-1999. Earlier, Valley police has said informants can call Detective Vanessa Turner 520-610-9000 or Detective Robert Hawkes at 520-610-2791.
If you see John Albert Campos, do not confront the man, as he is likely to be armed. Instead, call authorities with the information you have on the case.
January 2 Update
On January 2, 2015, the Phoenix Police Department arrested John Campos Sr. at 24th Street and Broadway Road in Phoenix, after an anonymous tip. The tipster told police that Campos was acting suspiciously. When officers arrived on the scene, they realized the suspicious person was a fugitive and an alleged murderer.
