Idaho campground victim asked ‘why?’ after estranged wife allegedly shot him, police say
Travis Calumpit, the 37-year-old Parma campground victim, was allegedly killed by his estranged wife and her mother, according to a court hearing and probable cause affidavits filed Friday by law enforcement.
Travis Calumpit was shot and killed July 12 at the Martin Landing campground, which sits near the confluence of the Boise, Snake and Owyhee rivers. The arrest of the two women from Battle Mountain, Nevada, was announced Thursday.
Travis’ estranged wife, Melissa Calumpit, 35, petitioned for divorce in 2018 after eight years of marriage, court records showed. But the two got remarried in 2020, Melissa told police. She and her mother, 59-year-old Rosalie Morris, had their bonds set at $2 million each on Friday.
“Rosalie admitted there had been a family meeting at Rosalie’s residence … they talked about how to get rid of Travis for good,” a probable cause affidavit said. “… She planned to do it herself; however, Melissa wanted to come along.”
Calumpit and Morris appeared in court Friday in orange jumpsuits, glasses and handcuffs. Calumpit was charged with first-degree murder and destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. Morris was charged with aiding and abetting murder and destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence.
Before his death, Travis told his stepfather he was going to meet with Melissa in the “hopes that they would reconcile their relationship and go camping,” according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police said the dash camera on Travis’ car showed Melissa standing beside a car at Martin Landing.
Calumpit said that Travis asked “why?” after she shot him, and that she said, “I’m sorry. I love you,” before running away, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Later, Calumpit threw the SIM card on Travis’ phone out the window and tossed the phone and gun into CJ Strike Reservoir, a probable cause affidavit said. Rosalie drove her to the reservoir, an affidavit said.
The prosecutor and judge cited the severity of the crime and the two being from out of state for why the bond was so high.
