A man who had been running from the law for over 40 years, sought for trying to kill his estranged spouse, was finally apprehended when his scheme of living under a false identity crumbled, as per the Justice Department announcement.
Stephen Craig Campbell, now 76, had successfully dodged law enforcement by assuming a different persona and unlawfully obtaining approximately $140,000 in Social Security benefits meant for retirees. However, he was taken into custody in New Mexico last week following an armed confrontation with the police, during which authorities discovered close to 60 firearms at his home, according to prosecutors.
The accused fugitive had been evading capture since setting up a booby-trapped toolbox with explosives outside the residence of his estranged wife’s boyfriend in Wyoming back in 1982, the DOJ revealed.
Campbell mugshot 2025, left, mugshot from 1982, and arms found on his property, (Justice Department)
On Feb. 19, authorities descended on his property to carry out a search of his property in Weed, where they said Campbell was armed with a scoped rifle, positioning himself in an elevated, partially concealed spot.
After repeated orders and the deployment of flashbangs, Campbell emerged from the wood line and was detained. When recovered, the rifle was loaded with high-powered ammunition capable of piercing standard body armor and ready to fire, with the scope caps flipped open, the selector lever set to fire and a round chambered.
Authorities discovered 57 firearms and large quantities of ammunition at the property. As a fugitive, Campbell is prohibited from possessing firearms. He was then fingerprinted, which confirmed his true identity and fugitive status.
Jason Mower, a spokesperson for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office reflected on the significance of Campbell’s capture, noting how the case had remained a constant presence in the department for years.
“Campbell’s wanted poster has been on the wall at our office since I started here nearly 20 years ago,” Mower said. “I’ve worked hundreds of fugitive cases, helping track down and capture fugitives all across the country. But never Campbell—every lead went cold, no matter what tools we used. Now, I finally understand why.”
Campbell’s scoped rifle. (Justice Department)
Joe Tomich, undersheriff for the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, emphasized the scale of the case, from its violent origins to the decadeslong search and dramatic resolution.
“It’s almost hard to wrap your head around this case—the cold and calculated nature of the original crime, the decades of searching, and then, after all this time, a tense standoff in the mountains of New Mexico,” Tomich said.Â
“We’ve all taken our turns trying to catch Campbell. I have a case file on him the size of a novel, filled with leads that went nowhere. But we never gave up, and now we finally know why he was always one step ahead.”
Campbell appeared in federal court Wednesday in New Mexico on fraud charges related to using a stolen identity.Â
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison before extradition to Wyoming to stand trial for the 1982 bombing. The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office has placed a detainer to ensure he is returned to Wyoming once federal proceedings conclude.
