Elliot Campbell was booked into the Outagamie County Jail on January 13, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Elliot Campbell was convicted Tuesday of a reduced charge for the murder of Elijah Dodson in an Appleton food truck line on Christmas Eve, 2023. The change reduces his prison exposure from a mandatory life prison term to a maximum sentence of 60 years.
Campbell, 23, pleaded no contest to second-degree intentional homicide. The count was reduced from first-degree intentional homicide, and avoids a trial, which had been scheduled for Sept. 21.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5
The plea deal does not include specific sentencing recommendations for either side; District Attorney Melinda Tempelis said.
In this case there was “unnecessary defensive force,” which makes it a second-degree intentional case, according to defense attorney Timothy Hogan.
According to one witness, the confrontation started in the line for a food truck just off College Avenue in the early morning hours of Dec. 24, 2023. One person walked up behind a group of people “so it looked like he cut in line.” From there, it escalated into a fight, ending with the shots fired.
One of the two men who joined the line gave police a similar explanation about what started the confrontation, although he did not see who fired the shots.
Traffic camera video captured some video of the incident — including showing what investigators believe to be Campbell with a gun, and the fight, but not the shooting itself.
The criminal complaint does not include any comments from Campbell.
Dodson died of two gunshot wounds to the head, according to the autopsy cited in the complaint.
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