On New Year's Day in Fort Smith, Arkansas, police were dispatched to a residence on the 2800 block of Independence Street around 4:30 p.m. following a report of a disturbance. A caller informed authorities they had heard a loud bang amidst a fight inside the home. The events that unfolded upon their arrival would leave a community searching for answers.
Upon entering the home, officers were met with a grim scene. They discovered a bedroom door that was locked from the inside.
After forcing their way into the room, they found the bodies of 49-year-old Mark Bell and 47-year-old Deevelyn Bell. Both individuals had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. A handgun was also recovered at the scene.
In the days following the discovery, the Fort Smith Police Department released a statement indicating that evidence gathered from the home suggested it was an isolated incident. Authorities believe that Mark and Deevelyn Bell were the only individuals involved in the tragic event and stated that there was no ongoing threat to the public. The bodies of both were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab to determine the official cause of death as the investigation remains ongoing.
