Ontario, N.Y. (WHAM) — Chad Campbell, convicted of murdering a 15-year-old girl and a 1-year-old child in Wayne County in 1990, is now a free man.
Campbell was released from custody Thursday to a structured community-based residential program in Erie County and will be intensively supervised with an electronic monitor, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
His release has caused many community members and officials to speak out against it.
“There should be a public outcry as to him getting released in the first place,” said former Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
Campbell was 14 years old Aug. 1, 1990 when he killed his classmate, 15-year-old Cynthia Lewis, and 17-month-old Curtis Rizzo, who Lewis was babysitting at the time. The following day, their bodies were discovered in a field behind the Palmyra-Macedon Middle School.
BACKGROUND: Murderer convicted in 1990 killings of 1-year-old, teen girl could be released this week | Murderer who stabbed 15-year-old girl, 1-year-old boy to death in 1990 granted parole | Petition to keep 1990 Palmyra murderer in prison
FILE – Curtis Rizzo, 1,{ }pictured in an undated photo, was stabbed to death Aug. 1, 1990 by 14-year-old Chad Campbell in Palmyra. (WHAM photo)
According to the New York State Board of Parole, Campbell stabbed Lewis 44 times and Rizzo 6 times.
Though Campbell wasn’t charged with rape, he admitted in a 2014 parole hearing that he had raped Lewis and murdered her, and murdered Rizzo because “I wanted silence” and the boy was crying.
An obtained transcript of the 2025 parole hearing shows Campbell expressed his regret, saying, “I’m very sorry for what I’ve done, and I am very remorseful.”
The transcript said Campbell walked the board through the day of the murders, saying he was upset because he had gone to visit his mother in the hospital and she turned him away.
The transcript goes on to say that Campbell called Lewis from his home phone and asked her to meet him at the school’s sports field. In the transcript, Campbell says he invited her there because “I was angry that day. I was extremely angry, and I was projecting my anger that I had onto her.”
Campbell said he projected his anger onto the victims, saying in part:
What I did was monstrous and I will never not be sorry for it, but it’s what I have to confront every day. Emotionally, I wasn’t able to process my emotions because of that and how I was feeling and I took it out on two other innocent children.
In conclusion, Campbell acknowledged the many letters and petitions against his release and apologized to the families of the victims.
That 14-year-old boy that committed this crime couldn’t handle his emotions. I’m 50 years old now and I understand, and I have worked diligently to change.
After multiple parole hearings, Campbell would go before the parole board once again in November 2025 and was granted parole.
The post-release housing arrangement for Campbell, who is now 50 years old, has received backlash from residents and community leaders.
Several housing locations, including Ontario in Wayne County and Brooklyn, were denied.
“When you commit a heinous crime where you kill a 1-year-old baby, and then you also kill a teenager, when you do something like that, obviously that kind of outweighs, in my opinion, your status as a 14-year-old,” Flynn said.
DOCCS’ full statement is below:
Following an interview with the Board of Parole on November 12, 2025, Chad Campbell (DOB 09/15/1975; DIN 96R0119) was granted an open date of 03/12/2026 or earlier. Campbell was released to supervision today to a structured community-based residential program in Erie County, in addition to being intensively supervised via electronic monitoring. Campbell was sentenced to 18 years to life after being convicted of two counts of Murder in the 2nd degree. Campbell was received into DOCCS custody on 01/10/1996.The New York State Board of Parole, as the sole entity that considers and determines whether or not parole eligible individuals should be released, is an independent body whose members have been appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate for a six-year term. The Board members base their decisions on whether the standards for release are satisfied in accordance with Executive Law 259-i. Prior to making a final decision, the Board members must follow the statutory requirements which take into consideration many factors, including statements made by victims and victims’ families, if any, as well as an individual’s criminal history, institutional accomplishments, potential to successfully reintegrate into the community, and perceived risk to public safety. Additionally, by statute, the Board considers any recommendations concerning release to Community Supervision from the district attorney, sentencing court and the defense attorney. As per Board regulations, a Board interview must be conducted by a panel of at least two Board members.