On a Friday afternoon in Hampton, Virginia, the life of 20-year-old Brieanna Nicole Bell was tragically cut short. On July 5, 2013, Bell was in a car with several other people in the parking lot of the Coliseum Crossing shopping center. An argument broke out between Bell and another occupant of the vehicle, 26-year-old Brandon Berkley.
The verbal altercation escalated with devastating speed. Berkley allegedly produced a firearm and shot Bell.
The single act of violence left the young woman with fatal injuries. In the immediate aftermath, Berkley fled the scene, leaving behind a scene of chaos and the beginning of a homicide investigation.
Hampton police quickly identified Berkley as the suspect in Bell's death. A warrant for his arrest was issued, charging him with homicide and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Investigators searched Berkley's apartment in the neighboring city of Newport News as they continued their search for him. Brieanna Bell, who had been a resident of Newport News, was remembered for her bright and energetic personality. She had earned her GED and was pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Strayer University.
