Ex-Olympic hopeful 'fatally stabs Uber driver and goes on joy ride after feeling cooped up'
An Olympic hopeful has been charged with murder after she allegedly stabbed her Uber driver to death and dumped his body in a field to go for a "joy ride."
An athlete who once competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic shot put team allegedly stabbed her Uber driver to death and dumped his body to go on a "joy ride," said police.
Khayla Dawson, 27, who participated in the USA Olympic Trials last year, is accused of brutally stabbing 38-year-old Jeremy Campbell to death. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says she plunged a butcher's knife into his neck before stealing his car and wallet on Sunday.
Investigators identified Dawson, a former college track and field star from Colorado Springs, as the last person on Campbell's driving list at 11:45 p.m. after his father reported him missing on Monday. Dawson told police she ordered the Uber to see a friend, but her story began to change, according to an arrest report.
She later told authorities that she "felt cooped up" and "wanted to get out of the house" and go for a "joy ride" and get some air, read the arrest report. Dawson then claimed that she fell asleep in the back of the car and woke up to find Campbell trying to touch her, said police.
The former athlete claimed that Campbell pulled a knife, resulting in her using her own knife to protect herself, adding that she had taken the weapon with her.
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During the struggle, the driver accelerated through a barbed wire fence, ending up in a field, according to arrest records. Dawson then allegedly left his body in a field near a hiking trail in Eastonville, Colorado — nearly 70 miles south of Denver.
Police were able to ping Campbell's phone, which led them to the Polaris Junction apartments, where Dawson lives. Her apartment was searched, and a large knife was missing from her butcher block, and the driver's wallet was hidden inside a lunch box on top of a kitchen cabinet.
Dawson received a medical evaluation, which determined she had a broken knee bone, according to arrest records. She was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, second-degree motor vehicle theft, and tampering with physical evidence.
"We're deeply saddened by this devastating loss. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the driver’s family during this incredibly difficult time," said Uber in a statement.
"We have been in contact with law enforcement and are supporting their investigation in any way we can."
According to the Colorado Chapter of USA Track & Field, Dawson placed 22nd overall in the 2024 Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, with a distance of 16.86 m, but didn't make the team.