TYLER CAMEL - 16 yo - Baton Rouge LA

Baton Rouge boy found fatally shot


Posted on November 30, 2010 at 10:07 AM


BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Authorities say a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed inside a Baton Rouge park building. Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokesman for the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, tells The Advocate that deputies received an anonymous call from someone at 5:45 p.m. Monday saying they found a body inside a park building. Hicks identified victim as Tyler Camel. She said that family member had reported Camel missing on Monday. Deputies say they have not established a motive, nor do they have any suspects. ___ Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com

Family disagrees teen died playing "Russian Roulette"
Posted: Nov 30, 2010 5:45 PM CST
Updated: Dec 01, 2010 8:14 AM CST

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The family of a 16-year-old who was found dead from a gunshot wound doesn't agree with the assessment from investigators who believe the teen shot himself while playing "Russian Roulette."

Tyler Camel's grandmother said he left her house Sunday to go buy candy from the store, but never returned home. His body was found inside a BREC Park building Monday evening. Doris Parker, the teen's grandmother, described finding out about the shooting.

"He said, ‘Ms. Parker, he said they say Chuckie shot himself,' she said. "I said, ‘Oh no, I know he didn't. I know he didn't shoot himself. Somebody did that.'"

The family still has many unanswered questions about how the boy who just celebrated a birthday ended up dead. Parker said when someone told her there was a body inside a BREC Park building, she knew it was her boy.

"I said, ‘Oh Lord, Tyler, you dead baby.' And his head was laying in a pool of blood," Parker explained.

Detectives with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office said Brandon Wilson, 18, brought a gun to the park.

They said Camel pulled the trigger during a game of "Russian Roulette" and the gun went off.

Deputies said Wilson ran and hid the gun.

"Leave him laying there all day long. Didn't say nothing? How cruel can you be?" asked Parker.

Wilson has been charged with negligent homicide and obstruction of justice.

Even though detectives said Camel died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, his family believes there is more to the story.

"Tyler was a lovable kid. He loved for you to hug him, let him know how you felt. He would tell you, ‘I love you mama.' He would always tell me that, ‘I love you mama.' My heart hurt. I feel like it's got a big hole in it," Parker added.

Camel's grandmother said she still does not believe he shot himself, but sheriff's detectives said all evidence indicates his gunshot wound was self-inflicted.

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=13591284&clienttype=printable

Family remembers ‘sweet child’
By KIMBERLY VETTER Advocate staff writer
Published: Dec 1, 2010 - Page: 1B


A 16-year-old boy found shot to death Monday inside a BREC park building reportedly pulled the trigger himself during a game of Russian roulette, authorities said.

Tyler Camel, 9072 Cefalu Drive, shot himself Sunday night with a gun Brandon Wilson, 18, brought to the building at 9142 Corlett Drive, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said.

When Camel fired the weapon, Wilson grabbed it, fled with it and hid it, Hicks said.

As of late Tuesday, detectives had not located the gun.

Wilson, 6043 Guynell Drive, was arrested and booked into Parish Prison on one count each of negligent homicide and obstruction of justice.

Hicks said the teenager is being accused of negligent homicide because he supplied Camel with the weapon.

Camel’s grandmother, Doris Parker, said she reported her grandson missing Monday night after he went to a nearby store to buy some candy and never came back.

“He don’t do that,” said Parker, who raised Camel. “I knew something had happened.”

Parker’s fears were realized Monday evening when a man from the neighborhood knocked on her door and told her Camel had shot himself, Parker said.

The man’s sister drove the 74-year-old Parker to the building where her grandson died and showed her his body, Parker said. Shortly afterward, authorities were contacted.

“He was laying straight out on his back,” Parker said. “There was blood coming from his head.”

Don Moreau, chief of operations for the parish Coroner’s Office, said the office performed an external exam of Camel’s body and determined he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Moreau said investigators could determine the gunshot was self-inflicted because Camel had a close-contact wound and “blowback,” or physical evidence, on his shooting hand.

Moreau added that an autopsy would not have told investigators anything more than the external exam revealed.

Hicks said all evidence on scene supported a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which is consistent with the information Wilson provided to detectives, including that he and Camel were playing Russian Roulette when Camel died.

Despite what authorities say, Parker said, “I don’t believe and never will believe my grandson put a gun to his head and killed himself.”

She said Camel was scared of Wilson and that Wilson had threatened to kill her grandson several times. The day before he died, she said, Wilson slapped him.

“Tyler was a sweet child,” Parker said. “He didn’t believe in violence.”

Camel belonged to Boy Scout Troop No. 213 and was a ninth-grader at AMIkids Baton Rouge, formerly known as the Baton Rouge Marine Institute, said Sheila Hyde, Camel’s aunt.

AMIkids is a Tampa, Fla.-based nonprofit organization that helps turn around the lives of juvenile offenders through its 55 schools in seven states, including Louisiana.

Camel does not have an adult criminal record in East Baton Rouge Parish, based on a survey of online court records. Juvenile records are not open to the public.

Parker said her grandson was accused of trying to break into a vehicle, but was never convicted. She said he was sent to AMIkids after being suspended from Woodlawn High.

Hyde said Camel primarily hung out with his cousins and was not known to frequent the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission building where he was killed.

The building, called the Gingerbread House, has been closed to the public since June, when a tree fell onto it, leaving a hole in the roof, said Kristi Barnett Williams, BREC communications director.

BREC is recommending that the building, which was last secured on Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday, be demolished, Williams said. “It is a condemned building,” she said. “It has structure issues caused by the tree damage.”

Hicks said the building had been broken into prior to Sunday night, when Camel and Wilson entered it.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/111095354.html

This coroner's findings has been changed from "self inflicted" to homicide. Anyone who knew this child KNOWS in their hearts there is more going on then the officials are releasing.

Jolie Rouge wrote:This coroner's findings has been changed from "self inflicted" to homicide. Anyone who knew this child KNOWS in their hearts there is more going on then the officials are releasing.

---Thanks for the update JR! Since you are right there keeping an eye on this one for us.... let's move it to Murdered until we hear different.

Investigators charge teen following "Russian Roulette" death


BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Detectives investigating the case of a 16-year-old found shot to death in a Baton Rouge building determined he shot himself while playing a gun game and arrested the teen suspected of supplying the gun.

According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, Tyler Camel died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a game of "Russian Roulette" Sunday evening.

Deputies arrested Brandon Wilson, 18, in connection with the shooting.

They believe Wilson brought the gun with him when he and Camel went to a building in the 9000 block of Corlett Drive.

When the victim allegedly pulled the trigger, the gun went off.

They suspect Wilson grabbed the gun, ran away and then hid the weapon.

He was booked on negligent homicide and obstruction of justice charges.

Investigators added the building where Camel's body was found had been broken into.
http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=13586661

Another article I read said police confirmed that the victims injuries were consistent of a self inflicted gunshot.

There have been no less then five calls to "Crimestoppers" reporting hearing 5 to 6 gun shots in the vicinity with in a 10 minute period on that Sunday evening and one 911 call reporting gun shots for the same time. Hmmm lots of shots for "Russian Roulette" ?

The child also showed signs of having been beaten ... also not usual for "Russian Roulette".

The head wound was to the BACK of the head - not the usual for "Russian Roulette" ?

Wilson "hid" the gun ... but now can not tell police where to find it ?

Tyler didn't even like shooting sports with the Scouts - they were "too loud". Do I believe that he would willingly put a gun anywhere *near* his head and pull the trigger. Absolutely not.

There are a lot of unanswered questions here and things that are not being reported or being reported incorrectly.... a deeper game ... a hunt for a bigger fish ?

Well I'm sure all the truth will come out eventually sometimes they can't report all they know in order not to hurt their investigation.

However the latest report I found had this to say.

[...] Don Moreau, chief of operations for the parish Coroner’s Office, said the office performed an external exam of Camel’s body and determined he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Moreau said investigators could determine the gunshot was self-inflicted because Camel had a close-contact wound and “blowback,” or physical evidence, on his shooting hand.

Moreau added that an autopsy would not have told investigators anything more than the external exam revealed.

Hicks said all evidence on scene supported a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which is consistent with the information Wilson provided to detectives, including that he and Camel were playing Russian Roulette when Camel died. [...]

I know it's hard to believe he'd do that but I sure hope Coroner’s Office knows how to do their job.

Maybe this Wilson guy forced him to do it? I'll be watching this case

This same coroners' officer has also been known to appear on a scene, glance at a body, and pronounce cause of death on the spot. No examination, no autopsy.... most of the police officers hold him in contempt but he is a political appointee.

There are quite a few of us wwatching this one...

I find it incredible that no autopsy was done. Just crazy. How would they know if he hadn't perhaps been laid unconscious and a gun placed in his hand and to his head by someone else if they don't do an autopsy to see if he had been hit over the head? Sure any unnatural death such as this requires an autopsy FGS?

you would think....

No tests were done for GSR on Tyler or Wilson.

Someone "found" the body in an abandoned building & notified a neighbor of the grandmother whom Tyler lives with in a different subdivision about 1 to 1.5 miles away from where the shooting took place. They then took her to the body and AFTER TAKING PICTURES the police were notifed. Who the ---- does that ?? Items in the photos were missing before the authorities arrived. The pictures were mailed to the grandmother who then turned them over to the police. WTH ??

kiwimom wrote:I find it incredible that no autopsy was done. Just crazy. How would they know if he hadn't perhaps been laid unconscious and a gun placed in his hand and to his head by someone else if they don't do an autopsy to see if he had been hit over the head? Sure any unnatural death such as this requires an autopsy FGS?

No kidding. What if the gunshot was used to cover up real cause of death? Or what about trajectory and all that stuff. ???

Family holds vigil in memory of dead teen

Posted: Nov 27, 2011 9:15 PM CDT
Updated: Dec 05, 2011 9:57 AM CDT
By Kelsey Davis

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The family of Tyler Camel, 16, held a vigil in his memory on Sunday.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office said his body was found inside a community center. Investigators believe he and another teen were playing Russian Roulette. His family and friends are determined to keep his memory alive.

"We miss him. We miss his smile," said Sheila Hyde, Camel's aunt. "We miss all the things he used to do."

"He was a very good friend of mine," said Andrew Sibley, a friend and fellow Boy Scout. "He was one of my best friends and it's a real loss of what happened to him."

Tyler's grandmother, who raised him, said the week Tyler died, he would not stop hugging her.

"When I think about it, I say 'Well Lord, he must've knew something was going to happen,'" Parker said.

According to detectives, Brandon Wilson, 18, brought a gun to the community center where he and Tyler played a game of Russian Roulette. The gun went off during Tyler's turn and he died, just 11 days after his 16th birthday.

"I had heard of kids getting killed at that age and people shooting and stuff like that, but it hurt so bad to see him laying down there," Parker added.

In the last few years, Baton Rouge has seen a spike in gun related deaths among teenagers. Sgt. Carolyn Stapleton with EBRSO said she's seen hundreds of teens on both sides of the gun in her seven years on the force. She said her office goes into schools and prisons with victims and the families of victims to show the long term effects of violence.

"A lot of times they don't think about it after they finish with it," Stapleton explained. "How long it lasts for the families. It never goes away...the pain and the grief."

Camel's family and friends are still coping with their loss and trying to come up with solutions to keep other families from feeling the pain and void they'll have for years to come.

"No matter whether it's my nephew, who is gone, or son or daughter who's gone, your heart still aches the same way. The color of the skin does not matter. The problem is that we have a high crime rate and we must do something about it," Hyde added.

http://www.wafb.com/story/16131746/family-of