PHILADELPHIA — Diniar “Melo” Camp was only supposed to be in Philadelphia for five days.
The 26-year-old, who was born and raised in South Philly, had moved to Nevada in April to pursue his music career and to feel safer, living away from Philadelphia’s escalating gun violence crisis. He’d lost too many friends to shootings, and couldn’t bear to imagine his mother go through that pain.
But on July 27, tragedy struck. One of Camp’s best friends, Joelill Foy, his roommate in Nevada who had recently returned to Philly to care for a newborn child, was fatally shot outside his South Philadelphia home. No arrest has been made, and detectives have not determined a motive for the crime.
So, last Wednesday, Camp and Foy’s two brothers solemnly arrived back in Philly, with return flights set for Sunday. They buried Foy, whom they described as a powerful singer and kind, supportive brother, on Friday evening, and that night, friends and family went to a North Philly hookah lounge.
There, Camp reconnected with a young woman he’d known before he moved, and around midnight, he offered to walk her home.
Because his friends still didn’t know who killed Joelill or why, they asked Camp whether he felt safe walking alone, said Rell Foy, his best friend and roommate. Camp assured he’d be fine, Foy said — he had his legally registered gun with him, and was only walking three blocks.
But as Camp and the woman approached her rowhouse, her former boyfriend sat waiting in a nearby truck, according to police. Wearing a ski mask, the man — whom police have identified as Marcus Michael Whitehead — ran up and shot Camp multiple times, killing him.
Police are searching for Whitehead, 22, who is wanted on murder and weapons charges.
Camp’s death has shattered his friends and family, who had just buried a loved one, and now must make funeral arrangements for another.
“Things are never going to be the same,” said Rell Foy, 25.
On Tuesday, friends and family gathered on the South Philly block where Camp was raised to remember him as a loving son and husband, talented singer, and driven, protective brother. He was the youngest of five children.
“He treated me like a queen,” said his wife, Arryana Camp.
“There ain’t a person here he ain’t made smile,” said his godbrother Lamir Wallace.
Short in stature, with a sparkling smile and unique humor, Camp was respectful and giving, friends and neighbors said, and young people looked up to him.
“He was our oldhead,” said Yasir Parker, 17. “He would get us water ice, or give us a dollar to get candy from the store.”
Camp was a talented singer, pianist, and guitarist, taught by his father, Steven, at a young age.
“When he was 5 years old, he would sit on the floor and bang on the pots and pans making music, sometimes to the point it would drive me crazy,” said his mother, Kathi Camp.
In middle school, he met the Foy brothers, and the crew would sing together after school. When the Foys formed the popular singing group Brotherly Love, Camp wasn’t an official member on stage, but toured with them and helped behind the scenes.
He went by the stage name Melo De, and enjoyed singing mellow rap, gospel, and R&B. Since moving to Reno, he’d been working at his uncle’s medical company while pursuing music with his brothers in the studio. He planned to release a song called “Emoji” in September, his mother said.
“He didn’t hang on the corners. He worked, he was educated, he made something of himself,” said his older brother, Marvin Lovett, 38.
On Tuesday, Kathi Camp spoke in emotional bursts, by turns questioning how anyone could kill her son and begging the man who did to turn himself in.
“He would have loved you,” she said, as if speaking to the shooter. “He would have gave the shirt off his back for you.”
As loved ones gathered to remember Camp, they recalled his generous nature and warm personality.
“Everybody he met glued to him like a magnet,” said Rell Foy.
And so on Tuesday evening, as family released blue and white balloons into the wind, Kathi Camp put her arms up to the sky.
“I love you son,” she said, “and I will be with you again.”
Her sisters came to her side, holding her up as she wept, but her arms stayed extended toward the heavens — as if being pulled by a magnet.
