ATLANTA — Newly released 911 calls detail the hours before the mother of a former Atlanta Falcons player was found dead inside her Buckhead townhome.
Channel 2’s Michael Seiden covered Calais Campbell during his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals. While he’s known for everything he’s accomplished on the football field, he’s also been widely respected for his commitment to his family and the community.
Tonight, that family is grappling with an unimaginable tragedy.
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Tuesday afternoon, police say 71-year-old Nateal Campbell life ended in a brutal attack, reportedly at the hands of her other son, 41-year-old Ciarre Campbell.
Officers responded to the townhome for a welfare check after family members became concerned they couldn’t reach her.
“My brother’s ... he’s mentally ill. He’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia and some other things. He stays with my mother. And this morning we’re trying to get in,” the 911 caller said.
When officers arrived, they say Ciarre Campbell had barricaded himself inside the home. After taking him into custody, they found his mother dead.
According to the arrest affidavit, he is accused of stabbing his mother so violently that she was nearly decapitated.
“This morning he drove in her car, which is very unusual. She never let ... He doesn’t drive at all, but the neighbor caught it on camera. They drove off in her car, and we can’t get in her house,” the 911 caller said.
Court records show Ciarre Campbell waived his first court appearance Wednesday. Police say they’d responded to the home 10 times since 2025, including an April fire where a family member reported Campbell set the blaze to “rid the house of demons.”
The report also states his mother had been staying elsewhere after he took over the home.
The Campbell family released a statement asking for privacy as they deal with what they called “overwhelming grief.”
They said they’re comforted by the belief that their mother has been reunited with their father.
Defense attorney Jay Abt told Channel 2 his client is innocent until proven guilty.
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