KENTUCKY STATE POLICE PART OF MURDER INVESTIGATION IN COLUMBUS

NEWS RELEASE

Kentucky State Police Investigating Murder in Hickman County

Columbus, KY. (July 30, 2021) – Detectives with Kentucky State Police, Post 1 are investigating the discovery of a body in Hickman County that was reported missing by Illinois State Police.

On Monday, July 26th, Kentucky State Police, Post 1 was contacted by the Illinois State Police regarding Zachary C. Campbell, 38 of New Burnside, Illinois, who went missing on July 15th, 2021. Through investigation, it was determined Tyler Childers, had shot Campbell and dumped his body somewhere off the Trail of Tears route. After multiple search attempts, Campbell's body was located Thursday night, down an embankment off of Bluff Road near Columbus.

An autopsy was conducted on Campbell this morning at the Western Kentucky Medical Examiner's Office in Madisonville, Kentucky. Preliminary autopsy results show Campbell died of a gunshot wound.

Childers is currently lodged in Massac County Jail in Illinois for multiple charges. An arrest warrant has been obtained for Childers on the charge of Murder in Kentucky. The investigation is ongoing by Detective Brian Hill.