166su

“This frankly, sir, was butchery,” Circuit Judge William Broadhurst told the 53-year-old Salem man in imposing a sentence that included an additional 10 years on three firearm charges.

Brandi Campbell’s roommate found her body, lying face down just inside the front door of the apartment, when he returned home from work the afternoon of July 3, 2023.

Campbell had been shot twice in the head, her throat was slashed from ear to ear, and she was stabbed about 30 times. In a bedroom, police found Robert Moorman, dead from two gunshot wounds, one to the back of his head and another to his chest. Moorman had also been stabbed in the cheek.

“I don’t even have the words to describe the brutality of these killings,” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David Billingsley said in asking Broadhurst to impose the maximum sentence.

A clear motive for the first-degree murders of Campbell and Moorman, who were both 43, did not emerge from a jury trial in December, or during Thursday’s sentencing hearing in 166su Circuit Court.

Rios maintains his innocence to this day, according to defense attorney Aaron Houchens. But when asked if he had anything to say before his sentence was pronounced, the defendant pulled a note from the pocket of his jail clothing.

“There are no fancy words that I can read from this paper” that would make anyone feel better, he told about 30 friends and family members of the victims who were seated in the courtroom.

“All I can say is, my deepest condolences,” Rios said. “I can say with all sincerity that I am deeply sorry for your loss.”

In the days after the killings, police searches of the apartment in the 900 block of Brandon Avenue Southwest, not far from its intersection with Main Street, did not produce any clues that immediately pointed to Rios.

After eliminating an initial suspect, authorities obtained a search warrant for cellphone data from all of the devices that were in the area of the apartment during the time of the homicides.

Two accounts — one for Moorman and the second for Rios — were identified as targets. A mapping system traced the two phones as they left the apartment and were transported along Interstate 581 to a storage space off Hershberger Road that was rented by Rios.

Police then swore out warrants to search the storage units and Rios’ home in Salem. They found Campbell’s wallet in a suitcase under his bed, and a machete and handgun locked in a safe in the storage space.

A forensic analysis matched the gun to bullets and spent casings found at the scene of the crime.

In an interrogation by police, Rios said he was acquainted with Campbell, whom he had seen several days before the killings. He first denied being in the apartment on July 3, 2023, until told that phone data put him at the scene.

Rios — who has a lengthy criminal history that started when he was 12 years old in New York City — then changed his story. By that account, he went to the apartment, found Campbell and Moorman dead, and stole their phones so he could sell them for drug money.

In December 2023, a grand jury indicted Rios on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and one count of possessing the gun as a convicted felon.

Family members testified Thursday that while Campbell and Moorman were not perfect, they were loved by many people who still struggle with their loss.

“A massive hole has been left in our hearts,” Campbell’s sister said from the witness stand.

“We have all suffered so, so much,” Moorman’s daughter, Allison Moorman, testified. “I hope that today helps close this chapter in our lives.”