Monday, April 4, 2011

Robert Bell Arrested for the 2002 Murder of Jamie Dunbar

The U.S. Marshal’s Service says a man wanted for killing a woman nearly nine years ago in Charlotte, N.C., has been arrested in Maine.

Law enforcement officials say North Carolina investigators tracked down 38-year-old Robert Bell Jr. in Portland after a DNA sample matched a sample from the crime scene. He was arrested Monday by the Maine Violent Offender Task Force.



Bell was wanted for the killing of Jamie Dunbar of Charlotte, N.C., on May 8, 2002.

Supervisory Deputy Sean Willitts of the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Portland said Bell had been living in Portland for close to a year. He’s being held at the Cumberland County Jail pending extradition to North Carolina.

Update 6:15 PM Monday April 4, 2011

CMPD Press Announcement Thanks to the Crime in Charlotte Blog:

From: "Tufano, Robert"
To: Media Release
Sent: Mon, April 4, 2011 3:13:19 PM
Subject: Cold Case Arrest

Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Cold Case Unit have arrested Robert Bell, DOB: 04/26/1972 for the 2002 murder of Ms. Jamie Dunbar. The arrest took place this morning in Portland, Maine.

In the early morning hours of May 8, 2002, CMPD officers responded to a 911call for service that requested officers to check on the welfare of the occupant of 7111 Village Green Drive. When officers arrived, they found the front door ajar and the victim deceased on the floor of the living room.

Physical evidence recovered and processed by CMPD’s Crime Lab at the request of the Homicide Unit revealed an unknown male DNA sample. This unknown sample was entered into the National DNA Database. In late 2010, Detectives were informed that Mr. Bell’s DNA matched the unknown sample. Homicide Cold Case Unit detectives were eventually able locate Mr. Bell in Portland, Maine.

Homicide Cold Case Unit detectives obtained a murder warrant for Mr. Bell and traveled to Portland, Maine. They were assisted there by the Maine Violent Offender Task Force and the Cumberland County Maine Sheriff’s Office with taking Mr. Bell into custody.

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