Olympic Hopeful Accused of Stabbing Uber Driver to Death During ‘Joy Ride’ After Feeling ‘Cooped Up,’ Police Say
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO — A 27-year-old Olympic hopeful is behind bars after allegedly stabbing her Uber driver to death, dumping his body in a field, and stealing his car — later telling police she just wanted to “get out of the house” for a late-night joy ride, according to investigators.
Khayla Dawson, a former shot put athlete who competed at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and motor vehicle theft in the brutal killing of Jeremy Campbell, 38.
‘Just Wanted to Get Some Air’ Turned Deadly
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Dawson ordered an Uber on Sunday night because she “felt cooped up” and wanted to “get some air.” She was picked up by Campbell in his 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe in El Paso County, near Colorado Springs.
Police say Dawson claimed she fell asleep in the backseat and awoke to Campbell “reaching back to touch her.” She allegedly told investigators she grabbed a knife and stabbed him in the neck in what she described as self-defense.
“She told [police] she fell asleep in the back seat of the car and awoke to feeling the driver reach back to touch her,” the affidavit states. “She defended herself by drawing a knife. He also had a knife. She stabbed him in the neck.”
The affidavit says the car then crashed through a barbed-wire fence into a field with horses, where Dawson allegedly pulled Campbell’s body out of the vehicle before driving away in his car.
Driver’s Body Found in Field, Car at Suspect’s Apartment
After Campbell was reported missing by his father, authorities tracked his phone using Snapchat location data, which led them to an apartment complex where Dawson lives.
Deputies found Campbell’s Hyundai parked outside her building, covered in blood spatter on the seats, dashboard, and steering wheel, according to court records.
Inside Dawson’s apartment, detectives recovered Campbell’s wallet, driver’s license, and car key fob hidden inside a box of dryer sheets. They also found a butcher knife missing from a kitchen set — one that investigators say matched the weapon recovered near the victim’s body.
“A bloody butcher knife with a chrome handle, matching the knives from Khayla’s kitchen, and a folding knife were located in the field near the body,” the affidavit states.
Campbell had multiple stab wounds to the neck, head, shoulder, and chin, but police noted that Dawson had no puncture injuries — only a minor knee fracture.
Olympic Trials Athlete Turned Murder Suspect
Court records and athletic databases show Dawson competed for USA Track & Field’s Colorado Chapter and placed 22nd overall in shot put at the 2024 Olympic Trials, throwing a distance of 16.86 meters.
Her athletic career and clean background made her arrest all the more shocking to the community.
“This was a senseless act of violence that has shaken everyone,” one law enforcement source told KRDO. “We’re still working to understand motive and what really happened inside that vehicle.”
No Bond, First Court Appearance Set
Dawson is currently being held without bond at the El Paso County Jail. Her first court appearance is scheduled for November 6, where prosecutors are expected to formally file charges.
Police have not confirmed whether any surveillance footage corroborates her claim of self-defense. Investigators say evidence points to a deliberate killing, not a spontaneous reaction.
Do you think Dawson’s self-defense claim will hold up in court — or was this a cold-blooded killing? Share your thoughts and follow more breaking stories at ChicagoMusicGuide.com.