Seaman August Provost, 29 (MySpace.com)
CAMP PENDLETON -- Authorities say a sailor accused of killing a gay San Diego seaman was under video surveillance when he took his own life at the military jail at Camp Pendleton.
Petty Officer Jonathan Campos was found dead Friday in the brig at the Marine Corps base in San Diego.
He had been under close watch after two previous suicide attempts, officials said.
Campos apparently stuffed toilet paper into his mouth and suffocated.
Pendleton spokeswoman Maj. Kristen Lasica-Khaner said that a guard visually checked Campos every five minutes as Navy regulations require. However, there may have been a 36-minute gap between physical inspections.
The base is investigating.
Campos was facing 16 charges, including murder, arson, unlawful entry, theft of military property and wrongful possession of a firearm in the murder of Seaman August Provost.
Provost, 29, of Houston, was shot multiple times as he stood guard at Camp Pendleton on June 30.
Campos and Provost served in the 500-member assault-craft unit, whose members are trained to pilot jet-powered hovercraft onto beaches for amphibious operations, said Capt. Matt Brown, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest.
Navy officials also accused Campos of using hallucinogenic mushrooms several times between May 1 and June 2.
Officials said that on June 13, Campos allegedly broke into the off-base home of a fellow service member in San Diego and stole an Xbox computer-game system, jewelry and a .45-caliber Kimber pistol, adding the same pistol was used to kill Provost.
On June 20, Campos was picked up on suspicion of driving under the influence. About a week later, he faced administrative punishment from his Navy commanders.
At the time, the Navy hadn't linked Campos to the home burglary, Brown said.
About 11:30 p.m. June 30, Provost took his post at a guard shack along the driveway to the assault-craft unit's entrance.
Navy officials say that sometime before 3:30 a.m., Campos approached the guard shack, shot Provost several times and stole his 9mm Beretta service pistol. Campos then allegedly set fire to the shack -- with Provost's body still inside -- using gasoline and a lighter.
"He apparently did it to destroy evidence," Brown said.
Campos was also accused of planning to set fire to one of the unit's landing craft, but he never made it into the compound.
Provost's partner, Kaether Cordero, said Provost was openly gay but kept his private life quiet for the most part.
"People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew," Cordero said from Houston. "He didn't care that they knew. He trusted them."
Provost had recently complained to family members about a person who was harassing him, so they advised him to tell his supervisor, said his sister, Akalia Provost of Houston.
"He's the type that if someone comes at him, he walks away. He never stands and argues," she said. "He didn't deserve anything but a good life."
Navy officials have rejected those claims and say there is no record of Provost filing a harassment report.
A Navy spokesman earlier this month described him as a rising star in the Navy.
Petty Officer Jonathan Campos was found dead Friday in the brig at the Marine Corps base in San Diego.
He had been under close watch after two previous suicide attempts, officials said.
Campos apparently stuffed toilet paper into his mouth and suffocated.
Pendleton spokeswoman Maj. Kristen Lasica-Khaner said that a guard visually checked Campos every five minutes as Navy regulations require. However, there may have been a 36-minute gap between physical inspections.
The base is investigating.
Campos was facing 16 charges, including murder, arson, unlawful entry, theft of military property and wrongful possession of a firearm in the murder of Seaman August Provost.
Provost, 29, of Houston, was shot multiple times as he stood guard at Camp Pendleton on June 30.
Campos and Provost served in the 500-member assault-craft unit, whose members are trained to pilot jet-powered hovercraft onto beaches for amphibious operations, said Capt. Matt Brown, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest.
Navy officials also accused Campos of using hallucinogenic mushrooms several times between May 1 and June 2.
Officials said that on June 13, Campos allegedly broke into the off-base home of a fellow service member in San Diego and stole an Xbox computer-game system, jewelry and a .45-caliber Kimber pistol, adding the same pistol was used to kill Provost.
On June 20, Campos was picked up on suspicion of driving under the influence. About a week later, he faced administrative punishment from his Navy commanders.
At the time, the Navy hadn't linked Campos to the home burglary, Brown said.
About 11:30 p.m. June 30, Provost took his post at a guard shack along the driveway to the assault-craft unit's entrance.
Navy officials say that sometime before 3:30 a.m., Campos approached the guard shack, shot Provost several times and stole his 9mm Beretta service pistol. Campos then allegedly set fire to the shack -- with Provost's body still inside -- using gasoline and a lighter.
"He apparently did it to destroy evidence," Brown said.
Campos was also accused of planning to set fire to one of the unit's landing craft, but he never made it into the compound.
Provost's partner, Kaether Cordero, said Provost was openly gay but kept his private life quiet for the most part.
"People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew," Cordero said from Houston. "He didn't care that they knew. He trusted them."
Provost had recently complained to family members about a person who was harassing him, so they advised him to tell his supervisor, said his sister, Akalia Provost of Houston.
"He's the type that if someone comes at him, he walks away. He never stands and argues," she said. "He didn't deserve anything but a good life."
Navy officials have rejected those claims and say there is no record of Provost filing a harassment report.
A Navy spokesman earlier this month described him as a rising star in the Navy.
