A Wyoming criminal who booby-trapped a toolbox with explosives to target his ex-wife has finally been apprehended after four decades on the run. Stephen Craig Campbell managed to stay one step ahead of law enforcement by assuming a dead college classmate’s identity – until modern technology finally caught up with him.
At a Glance
- Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, was captured in New Mexico after evading authorities for over 40 years
- In 1982, Campbell allegedly booby-trapped a toolbox with explosives, injuring his ex-wife and setting two houses ablaze
- After posting bail on attempted murder charges, he disappeared and assumed the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, a deceased college classmate
- Campbell fraudulently collected approximately $140,000 in Social Security benefits under the stolen identity
- During his arrest, authorities discovered an arsenal of 57 firearms and large amounts of ammunition at his compound
A Fugitive’s Four-Decade Run Ends
Federal agents have finally captured one of Wyoming’s most notorious fugitives after more than 40 years on the run. Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, was arrested at his remote compound in Weed, New Mexico, following an extensive multi-agency investigation that spanned decades. Campbell had been on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list for nearly 50 years after allegedly attempting to murder his ex-wife with a booby-trapped explosive in 1982.
Campbell’s carefully constructed fake identity began unraveling in 2019 when fraudulent documents were detected during a driver’s license renewal. Investigators discovered he had been living as Walter Lee Coffman – a deceased college classmate whose identity Campbell had stolen shortly after jumping bail on attempted murder charges back in the early 1980s.
In 1982, Campbell allegedly rigged a toolbox with explosives in an act of revenge against his ex-wife. When the booby trap was triggered, it caused an explosion that severely injured his former spouse and set two homes on fire. Campbell was promptly arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder but vanished after posting bail, beginning his decades-long life as a fugitive.
“It’s almost hard to wrap your head around this case—the cold and calculated nature of the original crime, the decades of searching, and then, after all this time, a tense standoff in the mountains of New Mexico,” Sweetwater County Undersheriff Joe Tomich said.
Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle described the case as “one of the most significant and dramatic fugitive cases in Wyoming law enforcement history.” The sheriff’s office had kept Campbell’s wanted poster prominently displayed for nearly two decades, a constant reminder of their unresolved case.
When federal agents finally closed in on Campbell at his New Mexico compound, they encountered an armed fugitive prepared for a standoff. Campbell was reportedly armed with a high-powered rifle when authorities approached his property. However, using tactical methods including flash-bang devices, law enforcement managed to apprehend the fugitive without firing a single shot.
A subsequent search of Campbell’s home revealed a shocking collection of 57 firearms and substantial ammunition stockpiles. The size of his arsenal has raised additional questions about Campbell’s activities during his decades as a fugitive, while his remote location and reclusive lifestyle had helped him avoid detection for so long.
Modern Technology Ends His Run
After purchasing property in Weed, New Mexico, in 2003, Campbell lived quietly under his assumed identity, rarely venturing far from his remote compound. His scheme included obtaining a U.S. passport and Social Security card in Coffman’s name, which allowed him to fraudulently collect approximately $140,000 in government benefits over the years.
FBI investigators credit modern technology, particularly facial recognition systems, with finally breaking the case. Campbell now faces federal charges for passport fraud, which carries up to 10 years in prison, before his eventual extradition back to Wyoming to face justice for the bombing that started his life on the run over four decades ago.
It’s getting harder and harder to get away with virtually any kind of crime these days. That’s a good thing, but it’s a little scary what technology can do, right?
