An unimaginable family tragedy has rocked the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens star Calais Campbell is mourning the loss of his mother, Nateal Campbell, after she was found stabbed to death inside her Atlanta home, while his older brother, Ciarre Campbell, now faces murder charges in a case that unfolded after relatives made a frantic 911 call begging police to check on her.
Authorities told ESPN that officers responded to the Buckhead residence on June 30 after a concerned family member requested a welfare check. Inside, they found 71-year-old Nateal Campbell dead. Investigators allege Ciarre killed his mother with a knife before barricading himself inside the home. He was arrested at the scene and charged with felony murder, murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony.
His attorney, Jay Abt, said that his client is "innocent until proven guilty," adding, "We vigorously protest his innocence. We look forward to his day in court."
Newly released 911 audio reveals the terrifying moments before officers arrived. A sibling told dispatchers the family immediately knew something was wrong after Ciarre, who relatives said had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, was spotted driving their mother's car.
"It was kind of a wellness check, my brother, he's mentally ill, he's been diagnosed with schizophrenia and some other things," the caller said. "This morning he drove her car, which is very unusual. She never let... he doesn't drive at all."
The caller added that neighbors' surveillance cameras showed Nateal never leaving the home despite Ciarre insisting she had. "I just tried to jump the window, and he's in there, and he said she left," the caller said before pleading, "We just want to get inside. We don't know—she could be in the house."
The killing has stunned the NFL, where Calais Campbell has earned a reputation as one of the league's most respected veterans. The six-time Pro Bowler, Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, and NFL 2010s All-Decade Team member recently returned to the Ravens after previous stops with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins.
Police say the tragedy followed months of troubling incidents at the home. Officers had reportedly responded to the address 10 times in the previous nine months, including calls involving alleged arson, neighborhood disputes, and mental health crises.
In one April incident, Nateal reportedly told police her son had been burning items inside the garage after stopping his schizophrenia medication. Days later, investigators documented another fire allegedly started to "rid the house of the demons."
In a statement shared with ESPN, the Campbell family asked for privacy as they grieve. "We are devastated to share that the Campbell Family has lost its matriarch, Mrs. Nateal Campbell," the statement read. "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."
