Yesterday, Hardeman County Sheriff John Doolen released a statement regarding his department’s continued commitment to a case that has remained unsolved for 28 years.
On July 23, 1998, Michael Bell was shot and killed while working at McKee’s Stateline Convenience Store on Highway 125 near the Mississippi state line, the victim not of a robbery but of a believed coordinated and deliberate killing.
The suspect (pictured below) is thought to have fled the scene in a 1990s GM sedan, traveling south on Highway 125 toward Walnut, Mississippi.
The Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office says it continues to work with local and federal agencies to bring this case to a close and provide Bell’s family with much-deserved answers.
“Justice delayed is not justice denied,” Sheriff Doolen said. “We remain committed to following every lead, pursuing every opportunity, and doing everything within our power to bring those responsible to justice.”
A $24,000 reward remains available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person (or people) responsible for Bell’s murder, and anyone with useful information in this investigation can contact the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 731-658-3971.
