In May of 2015, a family outing to a Kansas City water park turned into a scene of violence, ending the life of 19-year-old Ryshun Bell. The young man was at the CoCo Key Water Resort, connected to the Adam's Mark Hotel, when a heated argument broke out in the pool area. Though one of the individuals involved in the dispute attempted to walk away, the conflict followed them into the main entrance and foyer of the resort.
The verbal altercation quickly escalated when Divonte L.
Lewis, then 24 years old, pulled out a black handgun. He fired several shots, striking Bell and another man. Witnesses reported seeing three men flee the scene and run into a wooded area near the park. Bell was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries. The second victim sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
Following an investigation, authorities identified Divonte L. Lewis as the shooter. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder, assault, and armed criminal action. During the trial, Lewis's defense attorney argued that his client had acted in self-defense, claiming that Bell was also armed. However, prosecutors maintained that Lewis was the aggressor who chose to end a verbal dispute with deadly force.
Ultimately, a Jackson County jury found Divonte L. Lewis guilty of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. In September 2016, a judge sentenced him to 23 years in prison for the murder of Ryshun Bell, with a concurrent 10-year sentence for the armed criminal action charge.
