Ever since Sept. 15, Lakesha Clark has prayed every night that the man accused of killing her sister, nephew and sister’s godson would be caught. Those prayers were answered on Thursday.
“Relief,” Clarke told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution when asked to describe her reaction to Robert E. Bell’s arrest.
Bell, 34, accused of shooting three people to death and wounding a fourth, was arrested Thursday in New Orleans, according to police.
Bell had eluded capture since Sept. 15, when he allegedly shot the four at a Gwinnett County home. Bell had been staying in the home for about two weeks when he allegedly shot the victims during a domestic dispute, but police have not determined a motive.
Clark lived about 10 minutes from her sister, but has never met Bell, who was located at a homeless shelter in New Orleans and arrested following a short foot pursuit, Gwinnett County police said.
“When he was arrested, he did provide a false name, but we are pretty confident that it’s him,” Gwinnett Cpl. Deon Washington said.
Police believe Bell had an assault rifle and was waiting for Angelina Benton; 34, Benton’s 12-year-old son, Joseph McDonald; her 19-year-old godson, Raynard Daniel; and her boyfriend, Justin Cato, to return to Benton’s Snellville area home after a weekend trip. Benton had recently opened up her home to Bell, according to police.
“He took three lives for no reason and almost took a fourth,” Clark said. Only Cato, who was shot in the leg, survived.
Police believe Bell then attempted to leave the home in his SUV. But Benton, who had driven the SUV on the trip, was still clutching the keys, according to police.
Bell ran from the home and allegedly stole a pickup truck about a half-mile away, police previously said. The truck’s owner reported the vehicle as stolen Sept. 17 and on Oct. 2, the truck was found in New Orleans.
Bell was booked into the Orleans Parish jail Thursday afternoon, online records show. Gwinnett detectives were on the way to New Orleans late Thursday to interview Bell, who is expected to be extradited to Georgia.
“He is obviously a very dangerous individual and we are happy that he is off the streets,” Washington said.
When Bell does return to Gwinnett, Clark said she plans to be in court to see the alleged killer in person. If given the chance, she has one question for Bell.
“The only thing I want to know is why,” she said.
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