Mom Of NFL Star Killed At GA Home; Brother Charged

BUCKHEAD, GA — The mother of Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell was found dead Tuesday in an Atlanta home, and his brother is facing charges in her death, police say.

Officers were called to conduct a welfare check at the home around 12:30 p.m. in the 3500 block of Roswell Road Northwest, Atlanta Police said.

When officers arrived, authorities said a man, later identified as 41-year-old Ciarre Campbell, had barricaded himself inside the residence. Officers eventually gained entry into the home and took him into custody.

Inside the home, police said officers also found an unresponsive woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene. An official cause and manner of death were not released.

Following his arrest, police said Ciarre Campbell was charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. He was taken to the Fulton County Jail.

In the past, officers have responded to the home three times from September 2025 to November 2025 for what appeared to be mental health-related calls, police said.

Since then, police said officers have also responded to the home on a call about a fight in progress, a fire, an injured person and a welfare check. Officers have been called to the home twice regarding a suspicious person, police said.

In a statement sent to The Baltimore Sun, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman as 71-year-old Nateal Campbell.

She was also identified in a 911 call made by the family the day of her death. Atlanta Police have released the 911 call.

The call was made by a man who identified Nateal Campbell as his mother. He is heard saying a neighbor reported seeing his brother drive their mother's car that morning, which the man said was unusual and was caught by the neighbor's camera.

The man is then heard saying he and other family members were unable to get into the home, and that his brother claimed their mother had left.

However, the neighbor's camera footage seemed to show Nateal Campbell never left the home, the man told the 911 caller.

The Campbell family issued a statement asking for privacy while they face “overwhelming grief.”

“We are devastated to share that the Campbell Family has lost its matriarch, Mrs. Nateal Campbell," the family statement said. “While the details of her passing are still being investigated, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with our father, her beloved Chuck and in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Calais Campbell, who has five brothers and two sisters, described his mother as “my rock” in a 2017 story for The Players’ Tribune.

He also wrote a letter dedicated to his mother in 2018 as part of a “SportsCenter Featured” segment.

“You are the most giving person I have ever known,” he said, in part. “I have witnessed you give plenty to strangers even though we didn’t have much to give.”

Calais Campbell played three seasons with the Ravens from 2020-22 and earned a Pro Bowl selection in his first year with the team. He appeared in 41 games, serving as a veteran leader on one of the NFL's top defenses.

In April, Campbell signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Ravens for what will be his second stint with the team and 19th season in the NFL.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.