Bradenton man convicted in June 2023 shooting, armed kidnapping

Mar 14

March 14, 2025

Case #: 2023-004929

Friday, March 14, 2025, a Manatee County jury convicted Demitrius Tyrone Bell, 51, of four felony charges: attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, armed kidnapping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The crimes carry a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

The minimum mandatory sentence for attempted first-degree murder with a firearm is 25 years in prison. The minimum mandatory sentence for armed kidnapping is 10 years. The State is seeking an enhanced Three-Time Violent Felony Offender penalty, which carries a mandatory life sentence.

On June 5, 2023, Bell returned to the Tropicana Bradenton plant after his scheduled shift. Bell approached two co-workers, a 39-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, pulled a firearm from his waistband, and briefly argued with them. According to court testimony, within ten seconds of approaching the victims, Bell shot the male co-worker in the torso. The female victim tried to run but tripped and fell. Bell then held her at gunpoint and forced her out of the building and into his car.

Bell released the victim in Hillsborough County on June 5, and his vehicle was located a day later.

Bell evaded arrest until April 15, 2024, when the Bradenton Police Department Crime Reduction Team received information that he had returned to Bradenton. CRT conducted surveillance on Bell's likely location, but he took off during an attempt to arrest him. A short time later, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit located Bell on the roof of a storage facility in the 2800 block of Manatee Ave. E. and BPD took him into custody. A firearm in Bell’s possession at the time of his arrest was matched to a shell casing found at the scene of the shooting.

Bell’s trial began on March 12, 2025.

Note: Demitrius is spelled Demetrius in some court records.