In the early morning hours of November 28, 2014, a violent altercation on East Seventh Street in Lexington, Kentucky, tragically cut short the life of 51-year-old Stacie L. Lillie. A female resident of the city, Lillie was discovered lying on the street, having sustained at least one gunshot wound to her torso. The incident, which unfolded around 12:30 a.m., reportedly stemmed from an argument, with a neighbor telling local media they witnessed a man shoot Lillie, possibly over a dispute
involving money, before calling 911.
Emergency services responded to the scene and transported Lillie to the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries later that Friday afternoon. Her death marked the city's 17th homicide of the year. The Fayette County coroner's office confirmed the cause of death and an autopsy was scheduled to be performed at the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort.
The Lexington Division of Police quickly launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. By that same Friday night, investigators had identified a suspect and issued a warrant for the arrest of 20-year-old Martaveus L. Bell Jr. A witness was able to identify Bell from a photo lineup as the individual who brandished a firearm and shot Lillie. For several months, Bell remained at large.
The search for the suspect concluded on February 6, 2015, when the U.S. Marshals Task Force, in conjunction with Lexington police, located and arrested Martaveus L. Bell Jr. at a residence on Gatehouse Place. Following his apprehension, Bell was formally charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Stacie Lillie. In April 2015, a grand jury indicted Bell on the murder charge, and he was held in the Fayette County jail without bail.
