In the early morning hours of September 6, 2025, the life of 48-year-old Mitchale L. Groves, a male resident of Louisville, Kentucky, was tragically cut short. Responding to reports of gunfire, police arrived at an apartment in the 5500 block of Lodema Way in the Newburg neighborhood around 4 a.m. Inside, they discovered Groves suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite the arrival of emergency medical services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initially, the Louisville Metro Police Department's Homicide Unit began an investigation, stating that all individuals involved in the incident were accounted for, though no immediate arrests were made. For two months, the case remained under investigation as detectives gathered evidence and conducted interviews. This period of uncertainty for Groves's family and community came to an end in early November.
Following new developments in the case, police arrested James Belle and charged him with reckless homicide in connection with Groves's death. While authorities have not publicly disclosed the specific details that led to Belle's arrest or the nature of the relationship between him and Groves, the apprehension brought a significant development to the investigation. The case is expected to be reviewed by the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office as the legal process moves forward.
