No bail for 2 men charged in killing

Monday, November 5, 2012

Two North Little Rock men were ordered held without bail Friday in the death of a man who was shot Oct. 27 in front of his children.

Joe Bell III, 22, and Johnathan Hattison, 23, both of 1501 W. 37th St., North Little Rock, remained at the Pulaski County jail Friday night after their initial appearance in Little Rock District Court, records show.

Both men face capital-murder charges in the death of Victor Rosas, 26, of Alexander, outside a friend’s apartment at 11 Terrace Place in southwest Little Rock.

Hattison also was charged with aggravated robbery and theft of property in the Rosas killing.

Both men are accused of involvement in other crimes, according to police reports.

Bell was on probation at the time of the shooting for astring of armed robberies, court documents show. Hattison had three trials pending on various charges and was out on bond, records show.

Rosas was outside the apartment about 8:42 p.m. when he was approached by a man who demanded Rosas’ wallet, according to police.

Rosas complied, but the man shot him in the chest before running away.

Rosas later died.

Bell and Hattison became suspects after police “received information” about their involvement, a police spokesman said.

Both were arrested Thursday afternoon in North Little Rock.

After his arrest, Bell also was charged with five counts of aggravated robbery and theft of property in an unrelated robbery of five people at 701 Green Mountain Drive on Oct. 19.

Two other men were arrested in that robbery the sameday and at least one identified Bell as being involved in the robbery.

After waiving his rights to remain silent and have an attorney present, Bell “confessed to his involvement” in the Green Mountain Drive robberies, an arrest report states.

Hattison also was charged Thursday with forgery in an unrelated case.

Bell was arrested in October 2009 and originally charged with manslaughter and aggravated robbery in a botched robbery in North Little Rock in March of that year that left his accomplice dead, records show.

Bell and Marquis Donel Wade, 20, were attempting to rob two men in a parking lot at 4412 Lynn Lane when one of the victims grabbed Wade’s handgun and shot him, police said.

Bell also was charged at the time in several other armed robberies with another accomplice.

Bell was sentenced to 10 years probation in May 2011 after pleading guilty in a deal to five counts of robbery.

According to the terms of Bell’s plea agreement, the manslaughter charge was nolle prossed and he was required to receive treatment at a psychological facility.

When Hattison was arrested Thursday, he was awaiting trial on charges of forgery, theft by receiving and obstructing governmental operations in separate cases. Additional information about those cases was not immediately available.

Rosas’ slaying was the 43rd of 44 homicide investigations by Little Rock police this year. The department includes the May 23 accidental shooting of 14-year-old Tyjuan Woodard in its homicide total.

On this date in 2011, the department had investigated 27 homicides, ending the year with 37.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 11/05/2012