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Nov. 23, 2002
By JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS
Staff writer
Two families, joined by marriage, divided by divorce, and ravaged and forever changed by the murder of two little
girls, reacted Friday with tears, hugs and defiance to a guilty verdict against Tracy Camburn.
She stabbed her daughters, Kimberly, 5, and Candice, 10, to death on Sept. 10, 2001.
Camburn's loyal support group of family and friends appeared hurt and stunned by the outcome. The girls' father and
Tracy Camburn's ex-husband, Tom Camburn of Holland, and his family showed exhausted relief.
Tom Camburn, joined by his father and aunt, struggled to speak outside the courtroom. Hands and voice trembling, he
thanked Prosecutor Ron Frantz and the jurors for their dedication and work on the case.
"There is justice but no closure to this tragedy," he said. "The loss of Candice and Kimberly has left
an irreplaceable void in my life."
Words cannot describe what Tracy Camburn's act has done to him and his family, he said. "It's all gone."
However, Tom Camburn said he will never forget the joy the girls brought to his life. With nods from his family, he
added, "We'll never forget them never."
Asked by reporters if the outcome was fair, he said it was very fair, "and a long time coming."
Responding to another question, Tom Camburn said he is happy the trial was finally over, and now he can "get
on with my life, I guess." He added that he feels very bad for his ex-wife's family.
"They lost three people in this tragedy," he said.
Tracy Camburn's family had hoped for a different outcome, for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
"This is far from finished," said Camburn's brother, Robert Hale Jr., his voice sounding contemptuous with
every word.
"This is ridiculous," he said, vowing an immediate appeal of the case.
"We are very confident it will be an easy appeal," he said.
As reporters began asking questions, an irritated Hale said, "She's lost her daughters. She won't be able to
see her daughters ever again."
One of Tracy's sisters then interjected, "We're done," and she and Hale moved quickly through the bank of
television cameras and microphones.
Her attorney is apparently thinking about the next step as well.
Shortly after the verdicts were read, defense attorney John Moritz approached Camburn's family and friends.
"I'm not done yet," Moritz told them.
While others couldn't hide their emotions late Friday night, Camburn herself displayed no overt reaction to the jury's
decision.
She was quickly ushered out of the courtroom by uniformed sheriff's deputies as a friend called out, "We love
you!"
Tracy Camburn is destined for a life behind bars after a jury convicted her on two counts of first degree murder.
Camburn said she had no choice but to kill the girls in order to spare them from being tortured by unknown persons
who'd aligned themselves with evil forces.
At the time of the murders Camburn was a member of Central Wesleyan Church in Holland. She was active in many groups
and programs at the church, and her church family was quick to come to her support after her arrest.
That forgiveness and love extended throughout the trial as the courtroom was often crowded with Camburn's fellow worshippers.
Camburn's religious faith played a major role in the trial, with talk of biblical prophecies, demonic possession and
the ultimate conflict of good vs. evil.
And when it was all over, Tracy Camburn's family and friends did what Tracy herself often did when faced with heartache
they turned to God.
Huddled in the cold on the courthouse steps they prayed.
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