In the early hours of December 26, 2024, Devaughan Leon Bell, a 39-year-old Black man, was fatally shot at his home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Around 1:30 a.m., officers with the Elizabeth City Police Department were dispatched to Sentara Albemarle Medical Center after a report of a gunshot victim. Hospital staff informed them that Bell had been brought to the facility but had succumbed to his injuries.
The subsequent investigation determined that the shooting occurred at
Bell’s residence in the 1400 block of Nelson Street. Police learned that Bell had allegedly been shot by his wife during a domestic dispute. Neighbors later expressed shock over the incident, with one remarking that a number of family members lived in the home. Social media posts indicated that the couple had celebrated their anniversary in September 2023.
Following their investigation, police arrested Bell’s wife, 35-year-old Tanyce Kionna Griffin Bell. She was charged with second-degree murder and booked into the Albemarle District Jail.
Tanyce Bell made her initial appearance in Pasquotank District Court on Monday, December 30, 2024. A judge set her secured bond at $1 million. The police investigation into Devaughan Bell’s death remained ongoing as of late December 2024. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Elizabeth City Police Department at (252) 335-4321, the Crime Line at (252) 335-5555, or the FUSUS Text-a-Tip line at (252) 390-8477.
