Porter's Uncle Indicted For Murder:

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Robert Lee Campbell (mug shot TCSO)

The grand jury that is convened in Taney County has indicted a fifth person in connection to the double homicide of Rusty and Becky Porter, who went missing from their home near Willard in April of 2011.

Rusty Porter's uncle and neighbor, Robert Lee Campbell, 68, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the execution style murder of the Porter's, whose skeletal remains were found in rural Taney County near Protem three months after they vanished from their home.

The murder indictments against Campbell alleges he "offered consideration to one or more persons to kill Russell and Rebecca Porter and one or more persons accepted the defendant's offer."

Already indicted by a Taney County grand jury and facing two counts of murder, armed criminal action and felonious restraint are Tony Friend; his son Phillip Friend; and their cousin Dusty Hicks. Tony Friend's wife, Windy, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder last week.

Windy Friend (mug shot TCSO)

Court records in Greene County reveal that there was a heated dispute between Campbell and the Porter's who had traded ex parte (protection orders) against each other. Campbell, his son Tim, and Rusty Porter had filed five orders of protection against each other the month before the couple went missing. A consent judgment was granted to each party in two of those cases and each of the parties was ordered to steer clear of the other.

Relatives of Becky Porter say a property dispute between Campbell and Rusty Porter was the reason the couple had installed surveillance cameras, which were destroyed when the couple went missing.  The couple's home, which they had recently remodeled, burned to the ground in November of 2011.  The fire marshal ruled it accidental due to an electrical malfunction.

Back of house burning (courtesy Kay Simmons)

The Porter's were reported missing after Becky Porter's daughter, Jessica Ellsworth-Bullock, went to the couples home after not hearing from her mother in over a day. Authorities found the couples newly purchased car with the keys in the ignition and the doors to the house wide open. Inside the house,which relatives said reeked of bleach, were Becky's purse, cell phones, medication, shoes.  "The plastic runways they to protect the hardwood floor were soaked in bleach," according to Becky Porter's brother, Darrell Hufft. 

 


Greene County deputies conducted a grid search of 120 acres of property surrounding the couples home, including the adjacent property which Campbell lived on.

Shortly after her son went missing Kay Simmons was asked about her brother's alleged involvement the couples disappearance, "I think I would know if my brother was involved," Simmons said.

Becky Porter's brother Darrell Huftt

Huftt says, "Everybody knows what happened, they [authorities] know what happened......they're just trying to prove it. The [Greene County] sheriff told me that they've wanted this guy for twelve years but people don't show up for court or they disappear. When you get someone else to do your dirty work, it's hard to prove.  We all knew he was behind it."

Hufft says he's been told that they still haven't arrested everyone who is allegedly involved in his sister and brother-in-law's murders.  "They told us when they get everyone they'll bring us in to the sheriff's office for a meeting."

Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell says the grand jury will remain convened, which leaves the door open for future indictments.