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‘I killed her, bro:’ Fiancé confesses in shooting death of popular Brevard piercer, documents show

Phillip Keller shot at the victim 3 times, hitting her twice, records show

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – A court document released Friday shows that Alicia Campitelli’s fiancé, Phillip Keller, confessed to killing his 35-year-old partner following an argument over his drug use.

Keller was arrested Thursday by Brevard County deputies after jumping into Sykes Creek to try to avoid capture, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to an affidavit, following his arrest, Keller admitted to the murder of Campitelli.

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Keller told deputies that he and the victim were arguing on Friday, May 14 about his drug use, records show. He said during the fight, he got Campitelli’s gun from their bedroom, loaded three bullets into the magazine and hid the gun in another closet, according to the affidavit.

Deputies said Keller told them he returned to their kitchen to continue the argument, but then went back to the closet to retrieve the gun. Records show the victim followed him to the closet.

Keller kept the gun hidden behind a towel when he first opened fire, but missed, according to the affidavit. Deputies said Keller described Campitelli trying to protect herself — ducking down and crawling behind a couch.

Philip Keller. (Image: Brevard County Sheriff's Office) (2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

Keller said Campitelli screamed “Oh God no,” as he fired two more times, according to the affidavit. Keller said he then loaded the victim’s gun intending to either kill himself or have a shootout with law enforcement, deputies said in the court document. He also disposed of two of the three shell casings from the shooting — throwing one in the trash and flushing the other down a toilet — according to the affidavit.

Records show Keller then drove to several ATMs to withdraw cash in order to purchase more drugs. Investigators said Keller used the victim’s car and debit card to get the money — which totaled $1,481.50.

After buying drugs, records show, Keller returned to the home and gathered up the gun, ammunition and a bag the gun had been stored in and disposed of them — throwing away the gun box in a dumpster and ditching the bag and ammunition nearby.

Investigators said Keller told them he then drove to a canal off of Highway 528 and threw the gun in the water.

Records show Keller called 911 on Saturday, May 15 just after 11 a.m. and told dispatchers that he had just arrived home to his home “robbed” and that his fiancé, Capitelli, had been shot in the head.

“I need help immediately, it looks like she’s dead. Oh my God,” Keller said to dispatchers. “It looks like she’s been shot and been robbed, my house has been robbed.”

Alicia Capitelli

When deputies first made contact with Keller, records show he told them he had not been home since around midnight the night before, claiming that was the last time he had seen Campitelli, according to the affidavit.

Investigators said he spontaneously stated that he had sold a gun two days prior — claiming he had traded it for “molly,” a drug also commonly known as ecstasy or MDMA. Deputies said Keller also told them that he changed his clothes after finding the victim but before calling 911. When asked why, record show Keller claimed they were sweaty and that he had been wearing them since the previous day.

Records show Keller had also contacted the victim’s family earlier in the day, prior to calling 911, telling them that she had broken her phone.

On Thursday, prior to his arrest, Deputies said that three “audio-recorded controlled calls” were conducted with Keller by a friend of his with the authorization of investigators.

“I killed her bro, I killed her high as (expletive),” Keller said during a recorded conversation, according to the affidavit. “I did it. I don’t know how I did it, but I can’t live with myself knowing that. I’m a piece of (expletive). I was super high on Molly.”

Records show he later added, “I shot her the first time and missed through a towel, and she ducked her head, and I shot her twice in the back of the head in cold blood. I did it, I’m so (expletive) sorry man.”

Hear the 911 call below. Warning: The Content may be disturbing to some listeners.