On a tragic Friday evening in Robinsonville, Mississippi, the life of 34-year-old Shaterica Queshun Bell was cut short in an act of violence that unfolded within her own home. On January 5, 2024, the Tunica County Sheriff's Office received a harrowing 911 call around 9:50 p.m. from a neighbor who reported that a child had come to their door saying their mother had been shot.
This desperate plea for help set in motion a response that would soon uncover a devastating scene.
When sheriff's deputies arrived at the apartment on Kirby Road, they heard more gunshots coming from inside. Outside the residence, they found two of Bell's children. The situation grew more intense as deputies learned that Bell, her newborn baby, and a male suspect were still inside. Law enforcement officers quickly secured the area and evacuated surrounding residences for safety. They were able to establish contact with the suspect inside, negotiating with him by phone to surrender his weapon and exit the apartment.
At approximately 10:35 p.m., the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Donald Demario Patrick of Tunica, emerged from the residence and was taken into custody. Patrick, who was Bell's boyfriend and the father of her newborn, admitted to deputies at the scene that he had shot the mother of his child. Upon entering the home, deputies found Shaterica Queshun Bell with an apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene by the Tunica County Coroner. Miraculously, her newborn child was found unharmed inside the apartment. In total, four of her children were present at the apartment during the incident.
Following his arrest, Donald Demario Patrick was held at the Tunica County Detention Center. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, aggravated domestic violence, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen weapon. A judge set his bond at $425,000. The investigation into the death of Shaterica Bell remains active.
