A Neshoba County man was convicted of second-degree murder and using a firearm during the commission of that crime after a three-day jury trial concluded on September 10, 2025. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI’s Jackson Office.
Court records show that Brian Keith Bell, age 56, from the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, used a handgun to fatally shoot another member of the tribe.
Bell was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 on charges including Murder in the Second Degree and Use of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence.
The trial took place before United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, who set sentencing for November 14, 2025. Bell remains in federal custody and could face up to life imprisonment.
Acting United States Attorney Lemon stated: "Acting United States Attorney Lemon commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who investigated the case."
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
