Steak Knife Attacker Goes Missing

[das]

The tag line here is that an executed hienous monster doesn't ever escape -- das

Man who gouged out girlfriend's eyes missing from halfway house By MIKE GLENN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

A Houston man who was found legally insane in 1997 after trying to gouge out his girlfriend's eyes with a steak knife is missing from the San Antonio facility he was placed in following his court-ordered release from the Kerrville State Hospital on Friday.

Authorities are trying to track down Nathan Dale Campbell, 29, who had agreed to abide by the stiff rules state District Judge Debbie Mantooth Stricklin set down last month when she authorized his transfer to an outpatient live-in facility. They included staying away from the victim and her family and attending mandatory therapy for drug abuse and anger management.

Doctors had said Campbell, who suffers from bipolar disorder, was ready to go to an outpatient facility because he meets the criteria for such care set by state law.

By Sunday he was missing, however, and Campbell now may be somewhere with his mother, officials said.

"I thought everything had been handled. I am deeply concerned. I don't know what is going on," said Jan West, whose daughter, Kristen, was attacked by Campbell in July 1996 after she refused his marriage proposal.

After several surgeries, doctors were able to save one of West's eyes, although her vision remains impaired.

While West's family members opposed Campbell's release from the state hospital, they received some comfort in knowing that he would be in a monitored live-in facility in another city.

"That was about the only defense we had," Jan West said.

Campbell was dropped off at the San Antonio boarding house after his release, apparently by a state worker. The owner said she was given no information, however, about his past legal troubles or psychiatric history.

"They didn't say what he had done," said Lucille Gleason.

A disabled woman who can take in only a handful of boarders at a time, Gleason said she is unable to provide living quarters for people who need the kind of stringent monitoring Campbell required under Stricklin's court order.

"I was a nurse. Now, I can't do it," Gleason said. "I especially can't take care of any psychiatric patients by myself."

Soon after Campbell's arrival, West called Gleason to check on the man who drove a steak knife into her daughter's eyes seven years ago. Although the person supervising Campbell's live-in facility should have been familiar with the details of his case, West said Gleason seemed puzzled during the call.

"She said, `Why are you asking and who are you?' I proceeded to tell her that (Campbell) had been released from the state" mental hospital, West said. "This was no `director of a facility.' It was a little old lady renting out rooms."

Gleason said Campbell appeared "quiet and very nice" in the short time he was in her home, but she added that she immediately contacted his caseworker after learning of the brutal attack.

"It made me call and say, `Get him out of here,' " she said.

Campbell should not have been released to Gleason's boarding house, a Harris County prosecutor assigned to the case said Sunday.

"This is not at all what I had anticipated in the judge's orders," Colleen Barnett said. "We had thought it clear that Kerrville would release (Campbell) to an outpatient facility that would have some supervisory system to watch him."

Barnett said weekend Kerrville hospital workers would not provide any information about Campbell. She also contacted his mother, Eva Williamson, who initially denied any knowledge of his location.

"She finally admitted that (he) was, in fact, with her. But, she wouldn't tell me where they were," Barnett said. "She told me that Kerrville didn't want him. She refused to tell me what her plans were."

Williamson could not be reached for comment Sunday.

Stricklin also could not be reached for comment. Barnett said Stricklin wasn't in Houston on Sunday, but it was clear the judge's order releasing Campbell from the hospital had been violated.

"This is not anything that we thought would happen," Barnett said.

Crime victims advocate Dianne Clements said she was disturbed by the decision to release Campbell to a clearly inappropriate facility.

"He is under a court order to comply and to be in an appropriate medical board and care facility -- not just `rooms for rent,' " Clements said. "You would never anticipate or expect something this muddled to happen. It was one huge bureaucratic bungle."

[Ed Duncan]

Tho my severly manic-depressive, bi-polar stepdaughter, Susan Browne,never committed a crime other than shoplifting(when off meds), I and her mom, blame NY State, at least partially, for neglect in not having a "3 strikes" law which would have committed Susan forever.

She was found dead in her room at the Buffalo Psych. Center May 12. Her picture, as missing child, was once posted on the Tears to Hope site (some of you may remember the case). We STILL have not heard from the autopsy/toxology folks, the exact cause of death. We donot suspect foul play.

While here, allow me a minor "rant", and maybe some of you have a loved one who is mentally ill. All kinds of $$ for cancer, heart disease, MS, MD, ALS, kidney, diabetes etc. and how much for care of the mentally ill. Remember, these people no more choose to be manic-depressive, par. schizo or any other form of bi-polar any more than they choose to have any of the above. If any of ya are "letter writers", kindly mention to your lawmakers concerning funding for mental diseases. Open up these secure facilities closed up back in the 80s by that scumbag Ronald Reagan. (Damn.....I want so much to be able to *deleted* on that sumbitch's grave, but too damn old to stand in line that long again).

Have a good 'un, all, and yes, this perp should NEVER have been released from whatever place he was in. Take my word for it, it's a very low percentage of released mental patients who actually DO continue their medications. With Susan, during her adult life, probably 25-30 times. We were lucky she made it to 39.

cheers, Ed

[matthew not logged in]

WOWEE ! thats a another one of the great classic "Love" Basket Cases....almost as neat as the other one where he boiled is girl-friends head about 2 years ago........miust have got a shock when he opened it to eat the brains.....nothing........ empty !!!

ps: he must have got employment in Hollywood...the "The Steak Knife Maniac".....the new Film coming up......