Christopher Bell, 37, was fatally shot near Waitts Lake in Stevens County, Washington on February 2, 2021. Bell had reconnected with a longtime acquaintance, Ryan F. Gilliard, after meeting him at the Chewelah Casino. That day Bell, Gilliard and a woman identified as Melissa Smith gathered at Gilliard’s home on Waitts Lake Road and used methamphetamine.

According to Gilliard, an argument began when he said Bell had assaulted Smith; Smith later told investigators Bell had yelled at her but had not been physically violent. Gilliard says Bell produced a very large knife, and that he later retrieved a rifle and fired at Bell, who was in a car. Gilliard called 911 after the shooting. Bell was airlifted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the head and died there.

An investigation followed and Gilliard was detained at the scene. Who else was present that day or witnessed the events leading up to the shooting remains unclear; anyone with information about the gathering or the confrontation is asked to come forward.