Mississippi teen gets $2 million bond in capital murder investigation of man found dead in car

Published 5:40 am Tuesday, August 8, 2023

A Mississippi teen has been charged with capital murder in the July 30 shooting death of a 20-year-old man who was found dead in his car.

Vicksburg police on Monday arrested Larry Bell Jr. and charged him with the shooting death of Brendyn Carmen. Police Chief Penny Jones said Bell is charged with capital murder because the death occurred during the commission of a felony.

She said the investigation into the death is continuing.

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Judge Angela Carpenter set bond for Bell at $2 million during an initial appearance Monday in Vicksburg Municipal Court. The case was bound over to the Warren County grand jury.

Bell, who was wounded in his legs on July 30, attended the hearing using a walker. He is being held in the Warren County Jail.

Carmen’s body was found at about 1:32 a.m. on July 30 by a Warren County sheriff’s deputy who noticed a blue Nissan Maxima wrecked on First North Street near the intersection with Clay Street. Carmen had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey.

At the same time, Vicksburg police officers responding to a reported shooting in the 1600 block of Court Street found an 18-year-old man later identified as Bell, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken by ambulance to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for treatment.

During the initial investigation, police determined the shootings were related and Bell and Carmen knew each other.