Barbara Campbell’s life story appears in Stuff’s the long read podcast. Check it out by hitting the play button below, or find it on podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify either Google Podcasts.
Homeless woman Barbara Campbell was kicked to death in Christchurch by a schizophrenic sleeper who had been in and out of mental health care for two decades.
And police were twice alerted to concerns about his behavior in the hours before the attack, including attempting to punch his way into another woman’s car while apparently “out of it” and “angry”.
Richard Landkroon, 44, was charged with murder after Campbell, also known as Rose, was fatally assaulted in January at the encampment she had set up in a store at the edge of a New Brighton car park.
He was declared unfit to plead guilty after a hearing at Christchurch High Court last month, meaning the case will not proceed to trial.
READ MORE:
* Homeless woman killed in parking lot remembered for her brash nature and striking blue eyes
* Christchurch homicide case: Police name victim as 46-year-old New Brighton woman
* Blessing honoring homeless woman killed in Christchurch car park
Judge Jonathan Eaton ruled that, on the balance of probabilities, Landkroon had murdered Campbell.
On Thursday, at another High Court hearing, he was detained at Hillmorton Hospital as a special patient under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act.
A request to proceed with the removal of his name was denied, but Stuff she was not allowed to take photos in court for fear it would cause “additional stress”.
TYRONE SMITH/Supplied
Barbara Campbell, known as Rose, shortly before she was allegedly murdered in New Brighton, Christchurch, in January.
Campbell was estranged from her family and suffering from terminal bowel cancer when she set up camp in the New Brighton parking lot. She had battled alcoholism and mental health issues for many years.
On January 12, Landkroon, who also lived on the streets of the seaside suburb, had been causing trouble in the area.
Around 8:50 p.m., police were called to the parking lot after two men got into a fight and reportedly chased a car. Landkroon was identified as one of the men and was spoken to by attending officers. He appeared highly intoxicated but was cooperative and was not taken into custody, police said.
Then, around 10 p.m., a man, believed to be Landkroon, approached a dog walker’s car and began banging on her window, scaring her and her 12-year-old daughter. The woman called 111 and said she was worried she might hurt someone. The person who took the call said they would tell police units in the area to be on the lookout for the man.
But the officers did not cross Landkroon again, and about 30 minutes later he approached Campbell at his camp. The pair exchanged words before he started attacking her.
According to court documents, a witness, who was sitting nearby in a car, said he saw Landkroon kick Campbell about 15 times in the head and upper body before driving away. He returned a short time later and continued the assault.
The witness and another person who saw the attack called the police around 10:40 pm and Landkroon was arrested. Campbell, who had recently celebrated his 46th birthday, died in the emergency department of Christchurch Hospital shortly after midnight.
SUPPLIED/Stuff
Barbara Campbell, also known as Rose, struggled with mental health and addiction issues throughout her life.
When interviewed by police, Landkroon admitted kicking Campbell in the head about 30 times. He couldn’t explain why he attacked her.
Landkroon has an extensive history with mental health services in Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand, spanning two decades. He has been admitted to the hospital as an inpatient more than 20 times and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Three of the admissions were in 2021.
At the time of the attack, Landkroon, who had an extensive criminal history, was receiving voluntary mental health treatment in the Christchurch community. His care was last reviewed at the Hereford Center on January 7 when it was noted that she had abused his case manager over the holidays. He stated that he had not been taking his medication reliably, but agreed that he could self-discharge. But immediately after the appointment, he called the center and asked to remain a patient there. (It’s not clear if that was approved.)
After being charged with murder, Landkroon was assessed in prison for having psychotic-like symptoms consistent with a relapse of schizophrenia, and was admitted to Te Whare Manaaki, a forensic unit at Hillmorton Hospital.
A hearing was held in the High Court on October 4 to determine whether he was fit to stand trial.
STACY SQUIRES/Things
Judge Jonathan Eaton presided over the case.
The court heard Landkroon say he had experienced trauma, abandonment and deprivation as a child. His parents were very religious, he had struggled in high school and never had a steady job. At the time of his arrest, he was homeless, receiving benefits, lacking social support, and largely estranged from his family. He had long been dependent on substances including alcohol, cannabis, synthetic cannabis, stimulants and prescription drugs.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Karen McDonnell said that in her opinion, due to mental impairment caused by his schizophrenia and ongoing psychotic symptoms, Landkroon would not be able to participate effectively in a trial. He believed that people could read his thoughts telepathically, hear voices in his head and struggle to be in a room with other people, McDonnell said. The stressful environment of a courtroom would cause Landkroon to be overwhelmed with anxiety and find it difficult to focus and differentiate between reality and what “comes from his mind.” That would affect his ability to understand the evidence and give proper instructions to his attorney, she said.
Similar evidence was provided by another expert, consultant forensic psychiatrist and associate professor James Foulds. Both he and McDonnell considered Landkroon unfit to stand trial, views eventually accepted by Judge Eaton.
The judge said there was no doubt that Landkroon caused Campbell’s death. “His acts of hers were witnessed by at least two people, he was positively identified as the offender and he admitted to police that he repeatedly kicked Ms. Campbell.”
Chris Skelton/stuff
Lorraine and Brian Campbell were separated from their daughter.
On Thursday, Judge Eaton said the attack on Campbell was “quite irrational” and “for no reason.”
Before and after the incident, Landkroon had expressed a desire to take care of her and save her, the judge said.
He had engaged in “violent and irrational behavior” while in hospital and, despite months of treatment, continued to have psychotic symptoms.
“It is clear that more intensive care is needed to manage the risk of repeated behavior to ensure the protection of the public,” Judge Eaton said in ruling that Landkroon should be held as a special patient.
The judge said it was his understanding that Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury had conducted or was going to conduct an internal investigation into the care Landkroon received before he killed Campbell.
A coronary investigation would also explore any failure.
Campbell’s parents, Lorraine and Brian, attended the Oct. 4 hearing and believe Landkroon, like her daughter, was let down by the mental health system.
Given his history, they want to know why he was being treated in the community, rather than in a mental health hospital.
“He should have been kept in care for his own good,” said Brian Campbell.
While he and his wife have some sympathy for the police, who are limited by resources, they are frustrated that Landkroon was not arrested after the incidents before the attack on their daughter.
“If they had [arrested him], she would not have died in such a brutal way. not being able to recognize her [at the hospital] it still hurts,” Campbell said.
The couple had not seen Landkroon before the hearing.
“I kept looking at that idiot on the screen (Landkroon appeared via video link at the hearing on October 4) and I thought, mongrel,” said Lorraine Campbell.
While the couple is relieved not to have to endure a trial, the result has left them feeling empty and without a sense of justice.
Lorraine Campbell said Landkroon had to know what she was doing when she repeatedly kicked her daughter, walked away and then came back and continued the attack.
“I don’t think he deserves to live. When you take a life… you shouldn’t be here.”
Brian Campbell said he took some comfort in the fact that Landkroon would be held in a secure facility, unable to harm anyone else.
Chontelle Delacroix, the dog walker who called police half an hour before Barbara Campbell was attacked, said she felt “horrible and guilty” about what happened.
As the man approached his car, he banged on the window and tried to open the doors, but they were locked.
“He was mad. He had a look of anger on his face like he had never seen before in my life.”
In fear, she left.
Delacroix said he wished he had been more forceful with the person who took the 111 call about the need for officers to find the man.
“A woman was killed, and she didn’t have to happen. She should have been helped or stopped a long time ago.”
Christchurch Metropolitan Area Commander Superintendent Lane Todd said officers who attended the first incident involving Landkroon the night before the killing treated him “in an appropriate manner, based on the information available at the time”.
Regarding the second incident, the caller said the man had run away and police did not have an exact location for him, Todd said.
“Local units became aware of the man and his description and were told to keep an eye on him, but did not locate him.”
Todd said Campbell’s death was “extremely tragic and our thoughts continue to be with his family.”
Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury specialist mental health services group manager Greg Hamilton said he could not comment on the care of individual patients.
