James L. Bell, 46, died on April 6, 2018, at his home on Sunset Drive in Waukesha, Wisconsin, from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The shooting occurred during a violent domestic altercation; Bell’s wife was immediately arrested at the scene. Medical and family accounts in the district attorney’s memo describe a history of repeated domestic violence against her, including a 2016 incident in which she suffered fractured ribs after being pushed down a flight of stairs.

On the day he died, the argument escalated: Bell allegedly dragged his wife down the stairs, knelt on her neck, and threw a television remote that cut her forehead. She retrieved a gun she had used before to deter him; Bell then tried to grab the weapon and was shot at close range, 2 to 4 inches away, while slightly bent over. The Waukesha County District Attorney concluded she acted in lawful self-defense and declined to file charges after reviewing evidence and statements. Anyone with information about James Bell or this case is asked to come forward.