- Suspect evaded capture for 42 years using deceased classmate's identity
- 2019 license renewal exposed $140k Social Security fraud scheme
- SWAT team discovered 57 firearms during New Mexico property raid
- Original 1982 bombing left victim with permanent hand injuries
Federal authorities have closed one of America's longest-running fugitive cases with the arrest of Stephen Craig Campbell, a 76-year-old accused bomber who allegedly lived as Walter Lee Coffman since 1983. The decades-long manhunt reached its climax when tactical teams surrounded Campbell's remote 44-acre New Mexico compound last week, ending a deception that outlasted four presidential administrations.
Campbell's alleged crime spree began when investigators say he planted a booby-trapped toolbox at his estranged wife's Wyoming residence in 1982. The explosion severed his spouse's finger and injured her partner, leading to attempted murder charges. After posting $50,000 bond in 1983 (equivalent to $150,000 today), Campbell vanished - beginning what prosecutors call one of the most sophisticated identity theft operations in modern history.
Forensic document analysis reveals Campbell assumed the identity of Walter Coffman, a University of Arkansas engineering student who died at 22 in 1975. Through forged paperwork and bureaucratic manipulation, Campbell obtained a Social Security card, passport, and driver's license in his deceased peer's name. Court filings show he fraudulently collected $140,000 in retirement benefits between 1995-2024.
The Southwest Identity Fraud Task Force first detected anomalies during a routine 2019 license renewal check. Facial recognition mismatches and Social Security death records triggered a multi-agency investigation culminating in last week's armed standoff. Authorities recovered 57 firearms including military-grade rifles, along with ammunition stockpiles and forged identity documents.
This case exposes critical vulnerabilities in federal identification systems. A 2023 GAO report estimates 1.4 million active Social Security numbers belong to deceased Americans, creating opportunities for fraud. New Mexico's porous document verification processes - ranked 48th nationally in identity theft protections - enabled Campbell's long-term deception according to cybersecurity experts.
Campbell now faces original attempted murder charges plus new federal counts of passport fraud and identity theft. Prosecutors are considering additional weapons charges after discovering body armor-piercing ammunition at the property. The defendant remains held without bail as authorities continue tracing his four-decade financial footprint across six states.