In Newport News, Virginia, a Saturday in late February took a tragic turn, ending in the death of 61-year-old Donnell Bowles and the arrest of a woman who initially claimed to be a concerned resident. On February 22, 2025, police were called to a home in the 1200 block of 16th Street for a report of an unresponsive man. The resident of the home, 64-year-old Natlie Johnson, told officers that Bowles had arrived at her house a short time earlier, claiming he had been assaulted at another
location.
Emergency services transported Bowles to a local hospital, where medical staff discovered he was suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Donnell Bowles succumbed to his injuries later that same day. The initial report of an assault elsewhere quickly unraveled as detectives from the Newport News Police Department delved into the case. Their investigation led them back to the very person who had made the initial call for help.
Three days later, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, investigators arrested Natlie Johnson. The woman who claimed Bowles had been assaulted at another location was now accused of his murder. Johnson was charged with first-degree murder and firearms offenses. The police did not immediately release information regarding the motive or the relationship between Johnson and Bowles.
Donnell Bowles was remembered as a hardworking, loving, and devoted father, brother, uncle, and friend. A graduate of Menchville High School's class of 1981, he had spent many of his working years at Howmet in Hampton. He had recently reconnected with his church family at First Baptist Church Jefferson Park, where he was an active member. He is survived by his daughter, three brothers, and a host of other relatives and friends who are left to mourn his sudden and violent death.
