A Genesee County, Michigan jury has convicted Terrence Joseph Haywood of first-degree premeditated murder in the February 2022 death of his roommate, Cole Campbell.
The verdict, returned on October 1, 2025, concluded a trial that revealed a disturbing and violent sequence of events, during which Haywood allegedly wielded machetes for 48 hours while claiming to be God.
Prosecutors said the deadly episode began days before the killing. Campbell, 34, reported to his mother and ex-girlfriend that Haywood, 38, had been acting erratically, swinging machetes inside their home and making bizarre religious claims.
Campbell met with police at a local McDonald’s to report his concerns, but declined a police escort back home.
The following day, after Campbell’s mother was unable to reach her son, she requested a welfare check. Officers found blood throughout the residence and several machetes lying nearby. Haywood provided evasive explanations during police interviews.
Haywood’s “dream”
A key part of Haywood’s testimony at trial involved a dream he said he had, which he claimed instructed him to kill Campbell to protect his sister, who Campbell had dated, and her children. Haywood testified that in the dream, he was told he must carry out the act, and so Hayward attacked and killed him. On February 4, 2022, Campbell’s frozen body was discovered, and an autopsy confirmed multiple sharp-force injuries consistent with machete strikes.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton described the case as “one of the more unusual homicide cases” he had encountered, citing the combination of the weapon, the prolonged violent behavior, and Haywood’s unusual dream-related claims. Haywood is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2025, facing the possibility of life in prison without parole.
Published: Oct 3, 2025 05:45 pm