Idaho campground victim asked ‘why?’ after estranged wife allegedly shot him, police say

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Travis Calumpit, the 37-year-old victim at the Parma campground, was allegedly killed by his estranged wife and her mother, according to a court filing and probable cause affidavits filed by police Friday.

Travis Calumpit was shot and killed July 12 at the Martin Landing campground, located near the confluence of the Boise, Snake and Owyhee rivers. The arrests of the two women from Battle Mountain, Nevada, were announced Thursday.

Travis’ estranged wife, Melissa Calumpit, 35, filed for divorce in 2018 after eight years of marriage, court documents show. But the two remarried in 2020, Melissa told police. She and her mother, 59-year-old Rosalie Morris, had their bail set at $2 million each on Friday.

“Rosalie admitted that there had been a family meeting at Rosalie’s house … they were talking about how to get rid of Travis for good,” a probable cause affidavit said. “… She was going to do it herself; but Melissa wanted to come along.”

Calumpit and Morris appeared in court Friday in orange jumpsuits, goggles and handcuffs. Calumpit was charged with first-degree murder and destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. Morris was charged with complicity in murder and destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence.

Before his death, Travis told his stepfather he was going to meet Melissa in the “hopes they could repair their relationship and go camping,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

Police said Travis’ dashcam showed Melissa standing next to a car on Martin Landing.

Calumpit said Travis asked “why?” after she shot him, and that she said, “I’m sorry. I love you,” before running away, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Calumpit later threw Travis’s phone SIM card out the window and threw the phone and the gun into the CJ Strike Reservoir, according to a probable cause affidavit. Rosalie drove her to the reservoir, the affidavit said.

The prosecutor and the judge pointed to the seriousness of the offense and the fact that the two suspects are from out of state as reasons for the high bail.