evidence: If Your Time is short - We found no evidence to support this claim. The drowning death of Tafari Campbell, the Obamas’ personal chef, was ruled accidental. The recent drowning death of the Obama family’s personal chef, Tafari Campbell, was ruled an accident by the chief medical examiner of Massachusetts, where Campbell’s body was found off the coast after he was seen struggling in the water while paddleboarding. That hasn’t stopped unfounded conspiracy theories suggesting that former President Barack Obama or his wife, Michelle Obama, are behind Campbell’s death.