In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Salem, Virginia, a fatal encounter unfolded in the parking lot of a Go Mart convenience store on West Main Street. Anthony Joseph Trovata, a 32-year-old man from Shawsville, was found suffering from a single gunshot wound at approximately 2:04 a.m. on May 8, 2018. He was quickly transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries. At the time of the shooting, a woman named Angela Woolwine was with Trovata.
The investigation swiftly pointed to a suspect, Mark Allen Bell, a 32-year-old from Roanoke. A manhunt for Bell ensued, leading law enforcement to a Days Inn in Christiansburg. A standoff began around 1:30 a.m. the following morning and lasted for about two and a half hours. Authorities were able to make contact with Bell and a woman who was inside the motel room with him.
Both individuals, Mark Allen Bell and 27-year-old Lauren June Leffler of Bedford, surrendered to police without incident at 4:09 a.m. and were taken into custody by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The combined efforts of the Montgomery County, Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Virginia State Police, Salem, and Roanoke County authorities led to the apprehension of the suspect in connection with the shooting death of Anthony Trovata.
