Calais Campbell’s brother faces murder charges in mother’s death

The brother of Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell has been charged with murder after police found their 71-year-old mother dead during a welfare check at an Atlanta home, authorities said.

Atlanta police said officers responded to the home around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they found a man barricaded inside the house, the department said. He was detained immediately.

Further investigation led officers to an unresponsive elderly woman inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified the woman as Nateal Campbell, the mother of Calais Campbell and Ciarre Campbell.

Arrest warrants say Nateal Campbell’s throat was cut and that Ciarre Campbell was found in possession of a knife, The Guardian reported. Police said the investigation into the circumstances of her death is ongoing.

Ciarre Campbell was taken into custody and booked into the Fulton County jail. Booking records cited by NBC News show he is being held on two counts of murder, one count of aggravated assault and one charge of possession of a knife or firearm. The Guardian reported that he had an initial court hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning and that no lawyer who could comment on the charges was listed in online court records.

The Campbell family issued a statement asking for privacy as relatives grieve.

“We are devastated to share that the Campbell Family has lost its matriarch, Mrs Nateal Campbell,” the family statement said. “While the details of her passing are still being investigated, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with our father, her beloved Chuck, and in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

The Ravens also expressed condolences and support for Calais Campbell.

“We are incredibly saddened to learn about the passing of Calais Campbell’s mother,” a Ravens spokesperson said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences and full support to Calais and his family during this difficult time.”

The team asked that people respect the family’s privacy “while they grieve from this heartbreaking loss.”

Calais Campbell, 39, is entering his 19th NFL season after signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract with Baltimore in April, The Guardian reported. A former University of Miami player, he was drafted in the second round in 2008 by the Arizona Cardinals.

He spent 10 seasons with Arizona and has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, along with two stints with the Ravens. A 2017 first-team AP All-Pro selection, Campbell has been voted to the Pro Bowl six times. He has 117 career sacks in 278 games, including 259 starts.

Ciarre Campbell also played college football, though he did not reach the NFL. NBC News reported that he played at Colorado State University and later at the University of Montana.