HOUSTON – A convicted murderer has been arrested and charged after the body of Leslie Obi, a 43-year-old woman who went missing in January, was found in a wooded area in southeast Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.
James Campbell, 57, was charged with tampering with evidence - a human corpse.
According to investigators, the two were acquaintances and co-workers.
Campbell was paroled in 2006 after being convicted of a 2005 Washington County murder. In that killing, the victim’s body was also discarded, police said. His parole wasn’t set to end until 2037.
What happened to Obi?
Obi was last seen in the 8200 block of Ley Road on Jan. 11. Police suspected foul play.
Further investigation determined that Obi was killed at Campbell’s apartment at 9425 Scott Street. Investigators were seen searching and removing bags from the apartment.
Following her death, Campbell discarded her body, which was discovered on Jan. 18 in the 4600 block of Wilmington Street by city of Houston employees who were canvassing the area for renovations.
The Medical Examiner’s Office listed Obi’s cause of death as “sharp force neck trauma.”
Campbell speaks to KPRC 2
KPRC 2 reporter Taisha Walker spoke with Campbell in mid-January but did not report it because no charges were filed against him at the time. Then, he admitted to cleaning up evidence to cover up her death but denied being at the apartment when she was killed.
Campbell said he’s known Obi for years and she had a key to his apartment.
He said, on the day she was killed, she was hanging out there with a man Campbell identified only as “Robert.”
Campbell said he never trusted Robert because, to his knowledge, the man was a sex offender.
Campbell said when he returned to his apartment, he saw Obi lying, lifeless, in the hallway and suspected she was dead.
He said he told Robert to leave, and Robert took Obi’s body with him.
Campbell shared with KPRC 2 that he was on parole after serving time for murder and was trying to stay out of trouble.
He said, because of that, he did not notify the police and personally cleaned a bloody bat that Robert allegedly used to beat Obi to death.
Campbell said when police searched his apartment, they found Obi’s shoe, cellphone case and some of her other belongings.
Probable Cause Court
In probable cause court Tuesday, details were read aloud to help consider bond amounts and/or conditions.
The presiding judge first spoke about Campbell’s background and the search for the victim.
“Mr. Campbell, I’m not going to belabor the point but you’re on parole for murder until 2037,” the judge began. “This case alleges that a young lady by the name of Leslie Obi - who went missing in January of 2023 - her brother came to your apartment knowing that you were a friend and coworker of Ms. Obi to ask for your help in putting up flyers. When he was at the apartment, he recognized some of his sister’s personal items in the apartment.”
The judge went on to explain what Campbell allegedly told police about who removed the victim’s body from the apartment, which is different from what Campbell previously told KPRC 2.
“You claimed to the police that someone else had killed her, left the body in your apartment and you had paid - quote - ‘a crackhead’ to remove her body from the apartment and cleaned up the blood in the apartment,” the judge said.
According to court documents, Campbell admitted to moving the body of a dead woman but didn’t call the police.
Campbell’s bond was originally set at $500,000, but on Thursday, a judge raised it to $750,000. In addition, he has been ordered to have no contact with any member of Obi’s family, must remain within Harris and surrounding counties, may not consume or possess any illegal drugs or alcohol, and may not use or possess any firearms or other weapons.
Anyone with additional information about Obi’s death is asked to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).
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Body found in wooded area in southeast Houston confirmed to be missing 43-year-old woman, Leslie Obi