A baby-faced 13-year-old boy was brought before a judge to stand trial for the murder of his sleeping 10-year-old best friend, resulting in a gruesome bloodbath.
James Campbell was arraigned in Westmoreland County District Court in Pennsylvania on Thursday afternoon, hours after he allegedly killed Hunter Meyers.
Campbell is accused of stabbing Meyers multiple times in the head at his grandmother’s home, which is about 60 miles (96 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh.
Meyers, who attended Agora Cyber Charter School with Campbell, was staying there at the time and was fast asleep when he was killed. Meyers’ mother, Dorothy Meyers, said the children were best friends and cousins.
James Campbell, 13, is due in court Thursday to face trial for the murder of his 10-year-old cousin Hunter Meyers at the boys’ grandmother’s home in Pennsylvania
Meyers, pictured, was stabbed to death by his cousin while he slept, his mother Dorothy Meyers said
Police are pictured at the scene of Thursday morning’s gruesome murder in Donegal Township, which is about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh
She said there had never been any concerns about Campbell prior to the murder and there had been “no warning” about what was about to happen.
Police say they have not yet been able to determine a motive and are appealing for witnesses.
Dorothy Meyers has since also issued a stunning plea for sympathy for her son’s alleged killer, urging people to remember that Campbell is just a child himself.
She wrote on Facebook: ‘I see everyone’s messages. I just can’t open them. I’m not accepting friend requests right now. I’m not trying to be mean, but our 10-year-old son was just murdered by another child in our family and we’re trying to deal with it.
Dorothy Meyers shared a series of anguished posts about her son’s murder on Facebook — and made an incredible plea for compassion for his suspected killer
‘DO NOT GO AFTER THE OTHER CHILD WITH ANY HATE! He is a child too and he will pay for his actions. He will be charged as an adult, with manslaughter and first degree murder.
‘If, as the mother of the murdered child, I can ask for compassion for the other child involved, then people can also show that.
Meyers added: “If you don’t learn anything from this, keep all the hate toward the other child to yourself.
“This is not an adult, he is a child. Did he brutally murder my child, yes. If anyone has the right to hate him, it is us and it is not us, so no one else has that right.”
Dorothy, pictured, also appealed for help finding a funeral home that could care for her son’s body
Dorothy Meyers said she was extremely careful about who watched her children and asked for help finding a funeral home that could prepare her son’s body.
A 911 call was placed at 6 a.m. Thursday morning and Meyers’ body was found with a knife next to him. Campbell had blood on his pants and feet, WPXI reported.
During a subsequent police interrogation, he is said to have confessed to the murder.
The alleged teenage killer wore blue prison garb and kept his eyes on the ground as he was led into the courtroom by Pennsylvania State Police officers.
Campbell is being tried as an adult and spoke in a soft voice to confirm his identity and answer “yes” or “no” to basic questions, WHATAE reported.
When asked about the motive, Officer Steve Limani said police are still puzzled.
“I’m not saying that we have a specific argument or something that occurred that we would call a motive. I don’t think that’s the right word to use,” he explained.
Campbell is charged with manslaughter and first-degree murder.
He was held without bail until his next court appearance.
Meyers’ mother, Dorothy, also paid a touching tribute to her young son, saying he loved animals, the park and cuddles.
She said Meyers loved diesel trucks and the police and hoped to become a police officer or a diesel mechanic when he grew up.
A spokesman for the boys’ school called the incident a “tragic situation” and said counselors would be available to students once the school year resumes in the fall.
a GoFundMe The campaign set up to support the Meyers family had already raised more than $16,000 by Friday evening.