A dispute between two brothers over rent turned deadly Saturday afternoon in Gary, becoming Lake County’s first homicide of 2026, according to court records and investigators.
Officers with the Gary Police Department responded to the 1100 block of Taney Street following reports of a domestic altercation. When police arrived, they found 59-year-old Thomas C. Campbell and his brother, 53-year-old Erik Campbell, at the scene. Erik Campbell had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Investigators with the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force said the confrontation began as an argument over Thomas Campbell’s failure to pay rent at the home he shared with his mother and brother.
Witnesses told police Thomas Campbell briefly left the residence and later returned with one hand concealed inside his sweatshirt pocket. Erik Campbell became suspicious, believing his brother might be armed, and repeatedly demanded that Thomas show what he had in his pocket.
Surveillance video from a nearby home shows Erik Campbell with his hands raised while backing away, appearing to brace for a fistfight. Moments later, Thomas Campbell is seen pulling a knife from his pocket and stabbing Erik Campbell multiple times in the chest, neck, and torso.
During the struggle, both men fell to the ground, with Erik Campbell ending up on top and appearing to stop fighting. Investigators said Thomas Campbell continued stabbing his brother despite this. A third person attempted to intervene and disarm Thomas Campbell, eventually pulling him away.
Thomas Campbell then called 911, telling dispatchers he had stabbed his brother and claiming Erik Campbell had threatened him with a gun. Investigators said video evidence and witness statements do not support that claim. Police recovered no firearm at the scene, and Erik Campbell was never seen holding a weapon.
During a later interview with police, Thomas Campbell said he acted in self-defense, alleging Erik Campbell punched him and threatened to kill him. Investigators noted those statements conflicted with surveillance footage, which shows Erik Campbell never striking Thomas or producing a weapon.
On January 5, 2026, Detective Roger Escutia of the Indiana State Police and the Homicide Task Force formally charged Thomas Campbell with murder. He is currently being held at the Lake County Jail and faces up to 65 years in prison if convicted.
The investigation involved several agencies, including the Indiana State Police, Indiana State Excise Police, Gary Police Department, East Chicago Police Department, Lake County CSI, and the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone with information related to Erik Campbell’s homicide is asked to contact Detective Escutia with the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force at 219-755-3855.