PORT ARTHUR, Texas — An 18-year-old from Beaumont is waiting to learn his punishment after pleading guilty to murder Tuesday morning.
Bryce Bell was set to stand trial Tuesday for his involvement in the 2019 shooting death of 37-year-old Anthony Wilson. Bell was 15 when the murder took place.
Bell plead guilty as jury selection was about to begin.
Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham says they really didn't expect this outcome from Bell.
"Defendants have the right to withdraw their plea. That's an absolute right, so we just start the ballgame all over again," Wortham said.
If Bell would have stood trial, he could have faced five to 99 years or life in prison and a $10,000 fine if he was found guilty. Due to the plea, he faces 30 years at the most.
He also loses his chance to appeal.
"There is not a whole lot of changes to our approach, just basically the same because you know he was. The facts will speak for themselves," Wortham said.
Bell is set for sentencing on August 26, 2022. He is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to jail records.
Three other men were also charged for their alleged involvement in the murder. Jamirious Jantrel Gardner and John James Cook were arrested and charged with murder.
Bernard Bell, Bryce Bell's older brother, was charged with tampering with evidence and felon in possession of a firearm. In 2019, Bernard Bell was sentenced to six years in prison.
Bryce Bell was arrested on April 19, 2019. Even though he was a minor when he was charged, Bell was certified as an adult on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
The deadly shooting happened on Thursday, April 11, 2019. Beaumont Police responded to the 6800 block of Madrid Drive after receiving a call about a shooting victim.
Responding officers found Wilson lying near a roadway. Wilson was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers later learned three males committed several burglaries in the Dowlen West neighborhood, according to a Beaumont Police Department release. Police believe Wilson confronted the suspects, at which point the suspects shot him and stole his truck.
Wilson's truck was in the found abandoned 400 block of Norwalk Lane.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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From a Beaumont Police Department releases:
Beaumont Police Detectives have made a third arrest in the April 11th homicide of Anthony Wilson. The suspect is a 15 year old male, therefore his identity can not be released. BPD will be scheduling a press conference for the early part of this week to address the circumstances surrounding the investigation, including the outpouring of support and assistance from the community. The details of the press conference will be announced at a later time, via press release.
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On Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 10:12 p.m., Beaumont Police responded to the 6800 block of Madrid in reference to a victim of a shooting. When Officers arrived, they located the victim, Anthony Wilson, a 37 year old Beaumont man, laying near the roadway. Beaumont EMS arrived and pronounced the victim deceased. Preliminary investigation has revealed that 3 black male suspects committed several auto burglaries in the Dowlen West Neighborhood, including at the victim’s. It is believed that the victim confronted the suspect(s) in the 6800 block of Madrid, at which time the suspect(s) shot the victim and stole his truck. A short time later, the victim’s vehicle was located in the 400 block of Norwalk, abandoned.The investigation is on-going and Detectives are asking anyone who lives in the Dowlen West Neighborhood to check their home security and doorbell cameras between the hours of 8:00-10:00 p.m. Additionally, Detectives are asking anyone who lives in the Amelia area, to check their home security and doorbell cameras between the 10:00-11:00 p.m. hour, as this is the area that the suspect(s) abandoned the victim’s vehicle and fled on foot. BPD has released several videos of the suspects on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
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