Providing the HOPE to survive today, tomorrow and beyond

Brittany Nichols UT 01-04-2009

Brittany Nichols, 23

UT, North Ogden

January 4, 2009

Brittany's murder has left her young Daughter to grow up without her Mother in her life

A Standard Examiner obituary described Brittany as a joyous personality who, “with her outrageously contagious laugh ... could melt any frown into a shining smile.”

On Tuesday, December 30, 2008, Brittany of North Ogden was ending a four-month relationship with her boyfriend and roommate, Johnny Maurice Bell, 21. When Brittany’s father couldn’t reach her by phone on Sunday afternoon, January 4, 2009, he went to her condominium and found blood on the first floor. He discovered Brittany dead shortly after 1:00 p.m. in the master bedroom. Her father called the police. When they arrived they confirmed that Brittany was dead.

An autopsy report revealed that Brittany had been stabbed multiple times on her upper and lower torso.

Police say her 3-year-old daughter was on the premises when she was killed, likely for a number of hours before the homicide was discovered. Police suspected that she may have witnessed the slaying but are uncertain.

North Ogden police and the Weber County Homicide Task Force began looking for Bell. Investigators pursuing leads found an acquaintance that told them Bell was on a Greyhound bus headed for San Bernardino, California, where he had family. Utah Highway Patrol and Millard County Sheriff’s Deputies intercepted the bus about 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Police Chief Polo Afuvai stated, “he confessed to the crime,” saying Bell was angered when Brittany wanted to end the relationship. He admitted to using five knives to kill her because they kept breaking.

Bell made his first appearance at the Second District Court on January 7, 2009. He was formally charged with First Degree Felony Murder and Domestic Violence in the Presence of a Child, a Third Degree Felony. Court records said Judge Scott Hadley kept bail set for Bell at $500,000. Bell changed his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” and was sentenced sixteen years to life in prison for Murder.

Sources:

UDVC.org - Utah Domestic Violence Coalition - Publications - 2009 DV Related Deaths

NoMoreSecrets.Utah.gov -Document Index - 2009 Domestic & Sexual Violence Report - 2009 DV Related Deaths

Davis Standard Examiner, September 9, 2009;

Deseret News, January 6,7,14,15, and March 4, 2009;

KSL News, January 4, 2009;

Ogden Standard Examiner, January 4, 5, 8,10, 14, 2009;

Salt Lake Tribune January 5,6, 7,10, 2009

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please Share Information on Loved Ones & Friends

We at Le Chrysalis are attempted to gain as much knowledge about every Victim of Intimate Partner Violence (Domestic Violence) as possible so that we can share their stories and keep their Lives Alive through their Stories. We know that by learning what they went through and who they were we can help protect future victims from going through the same fate. Their Hobbies; their Jobs; their Likes and Dislikes; their Stories; their Pictures!…the more that is shared, the more we can Remember!

Please share any information you may have about a Victim! Let's not only Cherish the Names, Stories and Lives of those that have lost their fight to Intimate Partner Violence (Domestic Violence), but take what they went through and take something positive out of it! We understand the pain, there are 3 on this list that are our Family members… Just know, that Together we Can and WILL make a difference!