Wednesday, September 18, 2013
WARREM — A Trumbull County grand jury today indicted Lakeisha Bell, 19, of Williamsburg Street Northwest, on murder and other crimes in the death of her friend, McKayla Hopkins, 18, at a Packard Park birthday party Aug. 2.
If convicted, Bell could get a life prison sentence with parole eligibility after 15 years. She’s also charged with involuntary manslaughter, carrying concealed weapons, tampering with evidence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Hopkins was part of a group of people celebrating Bell’s birthday when Bell fired a shot that hit Hopkins in the torso. Bell’s attorney, Mark Hanni, said recently at a hearing in Warren Municipal Court that the shooting was an accident.
Bell is charged with being a felon in possession of a weapon because she was earlier charged with a felony, though that case has not been completed.
Police found her at 2:30 a.m. April 19 near the scene of a purse theft at the Pit Stop gas station on Youngstown Road Southeast.
They found crack cocaine in Bell’s possession and items taken from the purse. She was later indicted on felony cocaine trafficking and cocaine possession.