Prosecutor: DeKalb man sentenced to 20 years in prison after fatal shooting during drug deal

KENDALL COUNTY, Illinois. – An 18-year-old DeKalb man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting, according to the Kendall County District Attorney's Office.

Brian Bell Jr. is required by law to serve his entire sentence and be released on probation for three years. After his prison sentence, he must register as a violent offender against juveniles.

The conviction stems from an incident on December 22, 2022, when Bell was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Ashton Laatz of Oswego.

The vehicle stopped on Circle Drive East in Montgomery, where two male juveniles were apprehended.

Officials said Bell, armed with a firearm, attempted to rob Laatz during a drug deal. A struggle ensued and the gun went off, striking Laatz in the thigh.

One of the youths then fired another pistol at Laatz's vehicle as he attempted to flee. Bell and the youths fled on foot.

Laatz managed to drive a few more blocks but then lost control of his vehicle and crashed. He was taken to a hospital where he later died from a gunshot wound.

Kendall County Sheriff's officers responded to the shooting and spotted a suspicious person in the area. They tracked the person to a home on Seneca Drive in Montgomery, where they found the two juveniles and their weapon.

Bell attempted to evade arrest by jumping out a rear window of the home. The gun used in the shooting was discovered by officers under a shed in the backyard. Bell was later arrested after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He received his verdict in a crowded courtroom in the presence of Laatz's parents.

Prosecutor Eric Weis made the following statement on the case:

“I cannot imagine the pain of a parent losing their child to such senseless violence. An entire family was torn apart by the greed and depravity of one individual. While no verdict will ever bring Ashton back or restore the Laatz family, I hope the family has found some closure today to heal from this terrible tragedy.”