Friday, July 30, 2010

Mansfield, LA: Jury convicts Mansfield man of ex-wife's death

MANSFIELD — A DeSoto jury on Thursday convicted a Mansfield man in the October 2007 shooting death of his ex-wife and attempted homicide of her daughter.



The jury deliberated about two and a half hours over lunch before returning with a second-degree murder verdict against Winford Campbell, District Attorney Richard Johnson said.

District Judge Charles B. Adams, who presided over the four-day trial, will sentence Campbell to a mandatory life sentence on Aug. 26.

Assistant District Attorney Ron Stamps prosecuted Campbell, who was defended by attorney Joe Clark.

"We are grateful to the jury for taking the time to do their civic duty. We are grateful that a vicious murderer is off the streets," Johnson said.

Campbell killed his ex-wife, Sandra Lou Vanzant Campbell, 42, following an argument in her South Mansfield home. He shot her three times as she ran to a neighbor's house for help. But she collapsed in the yard and died.

Campbell also fired gunshots inside of the home, which injured Sandra Campbell's daughter, Jamia Vanzant, who was seven months pregnant. Vanzant was struck in the leg and foot, but recovered and later delivered a healthy son. Vanzant was the main witness in Campbell's prosecution.

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