An Osceola County jury has found a 73-year-old man guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the 2021 shooting death of his ex-wife.

On Tuesday, Charles Edward Bell, Jr. was convicted of second-degree murder (with a firearm) for fatally shooting his former spouse, 68-year-old Patricia Anne Davis.

According to court records, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a home located in the 5600 block of Magnolia Court in Okeechobee on August 28, 2021, in reference to shots being fired. Upon arrival, deputies found a deceased female victim, identified as Davis, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

A neighbor found the victim in her yard and contacted law enforcement. In a statement, the neighbor advised that earlier that morning, the victim’s ex-husband, Bell, had been seen “speeding away” from the victim’s home on a golf cart.

Bell allegedly instructed the neighbor to say that he was not seen leaving the victim’s home. In addition, the neighbor told law enforcement that Bell admitted to “kill(ing) someone” and asked for help with caring for his pets.

The neighbor told investigators that Bell and Davis had a “history of marital problems.”

OCSO deputies responded to Bell’s home, where they observed him riding a lawnmower in his yard. He was detained in handcuffs and taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning.

While speaking with investigators, Bell admitted to driving his golf cart to the victim’s home on the morning of the shooting. He claimed that he had initially asked the victim to clean his house, but he later rescheduled the cleaning for another day.

Bell further told investigators that he left the victim’s home and “did not harm her.”

Several witnesses spoke with investigators and advised that Bell had been seen on his golf cart at the victim’s home around the time of the shooting.

A search warrant for Bell’s home was obtained, and OCSO deputies found a handgun and ammunition in the woods on his property. This ammunition matched the spent shell casings that were found at the victim’s home.

Bell was arrested and transported to Osceola County Jail, where he remains in custody.

Osceola County jurors ultimately found Bell guilty of second-degree murder following a three-day trial. His sentencing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.

Bell is facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison.