For nearly three decades, Montgomery County police have worked to solve the murder of D.C. police officer Denna Campbell. This week, Campbell’s friends and family moved one step closer to seeing justice.
Police on Tuesday in Laurel, Maryland, arrested 62-year-old Amir Jalil Ali, Campbell’s boyfriend at the time of her death, who in 2021 legally changed his name from Kenneth Wonsom.
Ali was arrested and charged the same day Campbell was killed in September 1995, but charges against him were dropped shortly after.
Juanita Eggleston, Campbell’s close friend and co-worker, said she always believed Ali was responsible for Campbell’s death.
“I always knew he did. I knew no one else would harm her, other than him,” Eggleston said.
According to police, a fresh look at the case, including analyzing DNA evidence and talking to new witnesses, led to this week’s arrest of Ali on a charge of first-degree murder.
Eggleston said she is glad to see Ali charged again and is hopeful, this time, she will also see a conviction.
She and many officers in D.C.’s police department still sorely miss Campbell and get emotional when they think about what could have been.
“Her not being with her family, not being able to get married, have children, spend time with … her father, her mother,” Eggleston said. “Everybody that knew her greatly still misses her and wishes that she was still here.”
Vanessa Malloy became friends with Campbell in junior high school and remained close friends until the day Campbell died. She was there Wednesday when police announced Ali’s arrest.
“I’ve been waiting for this for years. I almost didn’t believe this day would happen, but I’m glad that it did. She deserves this,” Malloy said.
Malloy said Campbell enjoyed her job, and during her four years with the force was quickly celebrated as a hero after she saved four people from a burning van in D.C.
“Nobody expected anything less of Denna, because that’s who she was,” Malloy said.
She remembered Campbell as not only someone who put others first, but also as funny, sensitive and sweet.
Montgomery County Police Homicide Detective Paula Hamill said she notified Campbell’s father of the arrest, and he said to her, “Thank God.”
Campbell’s mother died several years ago, and Malloy said she wished she had the chance to see her reaction to this news.
“Her mother would be relieved, and knowing her, she would probably scream to the top of her lungs, because she would finally have closure as a parent. Everybody, if something happened to your child, you want closure,” Malloy said.