In 1939, Campbell was sexually assaulted and bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Her son, Campbell McDonald, was the initial suspect. He was also suspected of having bludgeoned to death a Russian dancer, Anya Sosoyeva, as well as having assaulted the young actress Delia Bogard, who survived. He was later cleared of those attacks when the actual murderer was captured by the Los Angeles police force. Both attacks occurred on the Los Angeles City College campus.
