Former University of Arkansas student arrested after 42-year manhunt involving fraud, attempted murder

ALBUQUERQUE (KNWA/KFTA) — A fugitive and former University of Arkansas student wanted for more than four decades was arrested in Weed, New Mexico, on Feb. 19 following an investigation that uncovered evidence of his alleged attempted murder and decades-long use of a dead man's identity to evade authorities and fraudulently receive government benefits.

According to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico, Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, is charged with misuse of a passport and attempted first-degree murder, and investigators are evaluating the possibility of adding more charges. If Campbell is convicted of the misuse of a passport charge, he faces up to 10 years in prison. The release does not say what Campbell faces if convicted of attempted first-degree murder.

The release says court documents show Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, allegedly assumed the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22. Coffman had graduated from the University of Arkansas two months before he died. The release says university records show Campbell also attended the school simultaneously.

Decades of alleged fraud

The release says both Campbell and Coffman were engineering students at the university, suggesting a likely connection between them.

Campbell allegedly applied for a passport under Coffman's name in 1984 and renewed it multiple times, always providing a photograph of himself and his current address.

Campbell also allegedly received a replacement Social Security card in Coffman's name in 1995 using an Oklahoma driver's license in Coffman's name.

The release says that around 2003, Campbell relocated to Weed, where he allegedly bought property in Coffman's name.

Campbell allegedly continued renewing the fraudulent passport under Coffman's name in 2005 and 2015. He submitted an updated photograph each time and listed his current address as Weed.

The release says that in September 2019, Campbell visited the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department in Cloudcroft, allegedly presenting fraudulent documents to renew his driver's license.

The release says he submitted a previously issued New Mexico driver's license with this photograph, which shows the name "Walter L Coffman," Coffman's birthdate, and a Weed address.

According to the release, Campbell also provided a Social Security card and a U.S. passport, both in Coffman's name.

The release says that after a renewed New Mexico license was issued to Campbell under Coffman's name, agents from the National Passport Center's Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman's death and the suspected decades-long fraudulent use of his identity.

Investigation begins

The investigation that came from this discovery revealed that Campbell had allegedly applied for and was awarded Social Security Title II Retirement Insurance Benefits under Coffman's identity. Campbell is suspected of receiving around $140,000 in U.S. government funds administered by the Social Security Administration in Coffman's name.

The release says investigators found that Campbell was arrested in Wyoming in 1982 for attempted first-degree murder. He allegedly planted an explosive device at the doorstep of his estranged wife's boyfriend.

When his wife opened the toolbox containing the bomb, it exploded, causing her to lose a finger and suffer other injuries. The blast also set fire to the residence and the neighboring unit.

The release says Campbell was reportedly released on bond in 1983 but failed to appear in court, which led to an active warrant for attempted first-degree murder.

Campbell's arrest

The release says that on Feb. 14, authorities received warrants to arrest Campbell and search the 44-acre property in Weed registered under Coffman's name.

The release said the arrest operation involved a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies. During the arrest, Campbell allegedly greeted law enforcement armed with a scoped rifle, positioning himself in an elevated, partially concealed spot.

According to the release, after repeated orders and deployed flashbangs, Campbell emerged from the woods and was detained.

The rifle was recovered, and law enforcement found high-powered ammunition capable of piercing standard body armor and ready to fire. The release says the scope caps were flipped open and the selector lever set to fire with a round chambered.

Authorities confirmed his identity and fugitive status, including the attempted first-degree murder warrant, when agents fingerprinted him.

Before his arrest, the release says Campbell remained on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted List for more than 40 years. A subsequent search of his property yielded 57 guns and large amounts of ammunition. Since he is a fugitive, Campbell is prohibited from owning guns.

According to the release, Campbell will remain in custody pending a trial, which has not been set.

The release says law enforcement is conducting a review of evidence collected during the search warrant at Campbell's home. Based on these findings, investigators are evaluating the possibility of adding more charges.

Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.

The investigation was started by the Diplomatic Security’s El Paso Resident Office and the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit.

Enforcement assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and the Otero County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos prosecutes the case.

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