PA, James Campbell, 13 confesses to murdering cousin Hunter Meyers, 10 at a sleep over, Westmoreland County

[Seattle1]

I live in the same township as this crime scene, about 2.5 miles away. I don’t have any connections to the victim or suspect but, while you never expect this anywhere, this is not an area for violent crime. Lots of unlocked doors and keys left in cars.

I'm so sorry for your community. This has to be alarming and frightening for all.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Moment 'murderer' aged 13 is marched into court by cops 'after stabbing best friend, 10 while he slept,'

8/3/24

A baby-faced 13 year-old boy was marched into court to face charges of murdering his sleeping 10 year-old best friend in a horrific bloodbath.

JC was arraigned at Westmoreland County Courthouse in Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon, hours after he is said to have killed Hunter Meyers.

C is accused of knifing Meyers multiple times in the head at his grandmother's home, which sits around 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

Per the DM article, the mother of the murdered boy is asking for compassion for the killer - who is also her nephew and her son’s cousin (but she states not blood relative). She’s begging in posts for people to stop spreading hate on the killer.

I have to give her credit for empathy. I don’t know how compassionate I’d be feeling about the murderer of my little boy.

jmo

 

[iluvmua]

Per the DM article, the mother of the murdered boy is asking for compassion for the killer - who is also her nephew and her son’s cousin (but she states not blood relative). She’s begging in posts for people to stop spreading hate on the killer.

I have to give her credit for empathy. I don’t know how compassionate I’d be feeling about the murderer of my little boy.

jmo

She has a LOT more empathy than I would have. Jmo

 

[Chimera]

Per the DM article, the mother of the murdered boy is asking for compassion for the killer - who is also her nephew and her son’s cousin (but she states not blood relative). She’s begging in posts for people to stop spreading hate on the killer.

I have to give her credit for empathy. I don’t know how compassionate I’d be feeling about the murderer of my little boy.

jmo

Bbm.
I don't know how, either ... but it speaks volumes as to what kind of person she is -- a compassionate one.
So sorry for the loss of her young son.

Wonder if he'll be charged as an adult ?
Any red flags previously ?
IMO -- thirteen is old enough to know right from wrong.
I realize this is early in the investigation.
Omo.

 

[steeltowngirl]

His obituary opening line is not quite as forgiving.
Hunter William Scott Meyers,10, Stahlstown was brutally unalived by his cousin and best friend on August 1,2024.

Hunter William Scott Meyers Obituary 2024 - George Irvin Green Funeral Home

View Hunter William Scott Meyers's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

www.georgeigreenfuneralhome.com

 

[Seattle1]

Bbm.
I don't know how, either ... but it speaks volumes as to what kind of person she is -- a compassionate one.
So sorry for the loss of her young son.

Wonder if he'll be charged as an adult ?
Any red flags previously ?
IMO -- thirteen is old enough to know right from wrong.
I realize this is early in the investigation.
Omo.

Police say Meyers was sleeping over at the suspect — JC's house when someone later called 911 around 6am when they found Meyers dead with a knife beside him. Officials say C— who’s 13-years-old, is being charged with criminal homicide and first-degree murder. He’s being charged as an adult.

 

[Gemmie]

8/5/24

Viewing, funeral services set for 10-year-old killed in Donegal Township

Wow. A viewing when he was stabbed in the head multiple times? That's gonna be hard on folks.

 

[Chimera]

@Seattle1 ; yes, thanks, I read that in the Daily Mail article but they occasionally get their facts wrong.
Unless it was in another article and I missed it ?
Will go back and catch up now.
Omo.

Wow. A viewing when he was stabbed in the head multiple times? That's gonna be hard on folks.

That though crossed my mind ... but maybe the wounds were to the side and back of the victim's head ?
Imo.

 

[vls12345]

Since it has been stated that the 13-year-old confessed to police, I wonder what his demeanor seemed to be? Remorseful? Indifferent? Angry? Agitated? Detached? Etc.?

Also, I wonder what will emerge as the supposed "reason"?

Will it be that there was an argument like in the case of Demeria Hollingsworth, who was murdered (smothered) after an argument over a phone just last month?TN - 12 yr old Smothers her 8 yr old Cousin, Demeria, to Death in Humbolt July 2024

Will it be that the teen just wanted to see what it would be like to stab someone like in the case of Dana Magnuson, a Texas woman stabbed to death a couple of weeks ago by a neighbor teen because he wanted to see what it was like?

Teen allegedly killed neighbor because he wanted to see what it was like to stab someone

A 15-year-old in Texas is accused of stabbing his neighbor to death, allegedly telling police he just wanted to see what it was like to stab someone.

lawandcrime.com

Or will there be some other reason?

MOO.

 

[Kimkimba]

The first line of the obituary is horrible. I don’t think I have ever seen one worded like that. And as a mom, I just don’t know how the mom can feel any empathy at this point. She’s a much stronger person than I am.

 

[Gemmie]

His obituary opening line is not quite as forgiving.
Hunter William Scott Meyers,10, Stahlstown was brutally unalived by his cousin and best friend on August 1,2024.

Hunter William Scott Meyers Obituary 2024 - George Irvin Green Funeral Home

View Hunter William Scott Meyers's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

www.georgeigreenfuneralhome.com

Thanks for posting. Nice video attached to his obituary. What a cutie. Another one taken too soon.

 

[Gemmie]

@Seattle1 ; yes, thanks, I read that in the Daily Mail article but they occasionally get their facts wrong.
Unless it was in another article and I missed it ?
Will go back and catch up now.
Omo.



That though crossed my mind ... but maybe the wounds were to the side and back of the victim's head ?
Imo.

Yes, that sounds like a possibility as I was wondering about the word "head" as opposed to "face", even though your face is part of your head. Sounds very likely that it wasn't his face.

I really feel for his family. He had so much of his life ahead of him.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Since it has been stated that the 13-year-old confessed to police, I wonder what his demeanor seemed to be? Remorseful? Indifferent? Angry? Agitated? Detached? Etc.?

Also, I wonder what will emerge as the supposed "reason"?

Will it be that there was an argument like in the case of Demeria Hollingsworth, who was murdered (smothered) after an argument over a phone just last month?TN - 12 yr old Smothers her 8 yr old Cousin, Demeria, to Death in Humbolt July 2024

Will it be that the teen just wanted to see what it would be like to stab someone like in the case of Dana Magnuson, a Texas woman stabbed to death a couple of weeks ago by a neighbor teen because he wanted to see what it was like?

Teen allegedly killed neighbor because he wanted to see what it was like to stab someone

A 15-year-old in Texas is accused of stabbing his neighbor to death, allegedly telling police he just wanted to see what it was like to stab someone.

lawandcrime.com

Or will there be some other reason?

MOO.

I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m thinking mental illness.

jmo

 

[Chimera]

10-year-old stabbed to death in Westmoreland County; Teen charged

A 10-year-old boy was found stabbed at a home in Donegal Township, state police said in a criminal complaint.

www.wtae.com

"I don't really know if we have what we would consider a motive. I don't say we would have any specific argument or anything that took place that we would call a motive. I don't think that that's the right word to use," Trooper Steve Limani said. "Right now, I think we have two families that, basically, one lost their loved one, another one is incarcerated and there's a lot of 'why would this happen?' And I know that the general population might want to know why, but we really don't have a definitive 'why' that we're able to give you right now."
*Sigh*
So awful.
Too early to ascertain a motive, imo.

Sounds like there were not many red flags , behavioral issues, or arguments/disputes between the perp and the victim -- and this crime has shaken them all ?
This perp has probably thrown away much of his life and for what reason ?

This is somewhat reminiscent of the crimes of Alyssa Bustamante.
Parole hearing held for Alyssa Bustamante, who killed a 9-year-old at the age of 15
Thrill killers are the worst.
Omo.
My condolences to young Hunter's family.

 

[Chimera]

Yes, that sounds like a possibility as I was wondering about the word "head" as opposed to "face", even though your face is part of your head. Sounds very likely that it wasn't his face.

I really feel for his family. He had so much of his life ahead of him.

My only hope at this time is that his head was turned away and Hunter just went to sleep as usual that night ... and woke up in heaven to beauty and peace and no knowledge of what happened !

Question : Were there adults in the home that night and did they hear anything at all ?
Thirteen year olds are sometimes allowed to be alone in a house --- some of us here may have had babysitting jobs at that age ?
So maybe they were alone that night, until the parents came back in the morning ?
Omo.

 

[steeltowngirl]

This is somewhat reminiscent of the crimes of Alyssa Bustamante.
Parole hearing held for Alyssa Bustamante, who killed a 9-year-old at the age of 15

I will take a look at that case.
Here’s another recent one. https://wreg.com/news/mid-south/12-year-old-girl-charged-with-killing-8-year-old-by-suffocation/

It’s so very troubling, and beyond sad.

 

[Seattle1]

@Seattle1 ; yes, thanks, I read that in the Daily Mail article but they occasionally get their facts wrong.
Unless it was in another article and I missed it ?
Will go back and catch up now.
Omo.

Yes, it was reported in local news (see link below), and also the court charging docs I posted (since deleted as they cite the defendants name).

Details in Westmoreland Stabbing Death - FOX8

We have an update on a fatal stabbing involving two boys in Westmoreland County. The victim now identified. According to our News Affiliates, 10-year-old Hunter Meyers died after being stabbed…

www.fox8tv.com

 

[Seattle1]

8/1/24

 

[Seattle1]

8/1/24

 

[LadyL]

Wow. A viewing when he was stabbed in the head multiple times? That's gonna be hard on folks.

the victim's mother posted on FB that she needs an open casket for her sanity
(from Daily Mail - I posted the link but it showed a picture of the accused so I deleted it)