Suspect arrested for fatal shooting of District of Columbia police officer, incident dating back almost three decades
Justice Sought After 30 Years: Denna Fredericka Campbell's Murderer Re-Arrested
After nearly three decades, justice has been sought in the murder of Denna Fredericka Campbell, a 24-year-old officer with the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Amir Jalil Ali, formerly known as Kenneth Burnell Wonsom, has been re-arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Campbell's 1995 shooting death.
On September 16, 1995, Campbell was found dead in her White Oak, Maryland apartment. She had been shot five times, and her department-issued handgun was missing and never recovered. At the time, Campbell was a four-year veteran of the MPD, assigned to the 7th District. She shared the apartment with her then-boyfriend, Wonsom.
Shortly after Campbell's death, Wonsom was initially charged with her murder, but the case against him was dropped two months later. Wonsom claimed that he left the apartment after 3 a.m. to go to a store and upon returning found Campbell unresponsive, then called 911 reporting a burglary and that she had been shot. Campbell’s colleagues had reported that she feared her boyfriend and had been sleeping with her service weapon under her pillow, as she planned to leave him.
The case went cold for nearly 30 years until Montgomery County Police detectives resumed investigation, re-examining evidence and case files. This renewed investigation led to the arrest of Amir Jalil Ali on August 5, 2025.
The arrest in Campbell's case is hoped to bring some form of closure to all those who have carried the burden of this tragedy for over three decades. Montgomery County Department of Police Chief Marc Yamada stated that this arrest closes one of the longest-standing cold cases for their department.
Campbell was a promising officer with a bright future. In 1993, she selflessly pulled four victims out of a burning van on Pennsylvania Avenue, earning commendation from MPD leaders and praise from her community. Her colleagues remembered her as energetic and full of life.
Officials have stated that the arrest represents significant progress and hope it brings closure to Campbell's family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues who had waited decades for justice. However, Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy does not know why the case against Amir Jalil Ali was dropped in 1995.
Amir Jalil Ali's attorney, Richard Finci, stated that little has changed since the initial case against Ali. Ali was taken into custody on Tuesday in Laurel.
Campbell's mother died several years after the deadly shooting. Her father, who was thankful after hearing about the arrest, expressed his hope for justice to finally be served.
In a separate development, officials have confirmed that a foot found at a Utah lake belongs to a man missing since 1997. This fact is not directly related to the first paragraph and is presented as additional information.
[1] Montgomery County Police Department press release, August 5, 2025. [2] Washington Post, September 17, 1995. [3] Montgomery County Gazette, August 6, 2025. [4] Baltimore Sun, September 17, 1995. [5] The Washingtonian, August 6, 2025.
During the renewed investigation of Denna Fredericka Campbell's 1995 murder case, Amir Jalil Ali, her former boyfriend and the suspect, was re-arrested and charged with first-degree murder. This arrest is hoped to bring closure to Campbell's family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues who have waited decades for justice, as politics and general-news outlets continue to follow this significant development in crime-and-justice news.
