Arrest Made in Connection to South Bay Woman's Body Found Behind Wall

Sheriff’s homicide detectives on Friday announced the arrest of a 43-year-old man accused of killing a 37-year-old woman whose remains were found behind a wall in a Lomita housing project apartment last summer, six years after she disappeared.

Raven Campbell was reported missing from her residence in the 26800 block of Western Avenue in July 2009, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Randolph Garbutt, 43, lived in the apartment with Campbell and two other people during at least part of the time between December 2008, when Campbell moved in, and when she was reported missing in June of the following year, sheriff’s homicide Lt. Steve Jauch told City News Service.

Deputies arrested him in Los Angeles on Wednesday for an outstanding traffic-related warrant, Jauch said. He went to court on Thursday, was sentenced to time served on the traffic matter and was then arrested and booked in connection with Campbell’s homicide, according to the lieutenant.

Garbutt was being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Sheriff’s South Los Angeles Station.

Jauch said the case will be presented on Monday to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Campbell’s remains were found on July 2, 2015, in a void behind a closet wall in her apartment in the Harbor Hills Housing Project, according to Jauch. She suffered blunt force trauma to the head.

Authorities went to the location after getting a tip. Detectives made arrangements with county housing officials to gain entrance into the apartment, whose occupants were relocated to accommodate the investigation. The sheriff’s department dispatched cadaver dogs to the scene, and the animals, which are trained to find bodies, alerted to human remains.

A cousin, Linda Campbell Humphrey, said then that the missing woman’s sister received an anonymous call from someone that led her to believe there was a body in the apartment.

Relatives said the unit where the remains were found is the one where Campbell lived with a high school friend, who moved out in 2010.

Jauch, who identified the friend only as Nicole, said she lived at the apartment along with her boyfriend.

Jauch would not discuss a possible motive for the killing. He said described the relationship between Garbutt and Campbell as “friendship.”

Garbutt has a minor criminal record of traffic violations and some narcotics arrests, according to the sheriff’s department.

Her family members said last year that Campbell was mentally challenged and had a son.

--City News Service.