Timothy Bell fue condenado a 49 años de prisión por el asesinato en segundo grado de Tyler Cardiel, de 18 años, la Nochebuena de 2020 en Phoenix. Cardiel, un estudiante de honor que recientemente se había graduado de la secundaria, caminaba a casa después de un turno nocturno en un Circle K cuando Bell le disparó. Bell dijo a la policía que actuó por ira después de dormir en la calle.
La Nochebuena de 2020, Tyler Cardiel, un estudiante de honor de 18 años recién graduado de la secundaria, terminó un turno nocturno extra en un Circle K en Phoenix, Arizona, y comenzó a caminar a casa. Cuando se cruzó con Timothy Bell, de 35 años, cerca de la tienda, Bell le disparó mortalmente, según informes policiales. Bell, que había estado durmiendo en la calle y se sentía enojado, cansado y con frío, le dijo después a los detectives que quería matar a la primera persona que encontrara. Cardiel's mother, Monique Cardiel, described her son as a good kid who had never been in trouble and had not yet gone on his first date. She recounted their last interaction that night: it was Tyler's first Christmas away from home, and as he left for work, she asked if he had to go, to which he replied he would be back later and gave her a hug. When he did not return or respond to her texts and calls, she knew something was wrong. Police located Bell at a hospital treating his self-inflicted gunshot wound. In January, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, robbery, and weapons misconduct. At sentencing in March 2023, Bell called the incident a tragic accident, stating, “I'm not the type of person that does this to innocent people. I'm definitely an intelligent Black man and bettering myself every day, but this is a tragic accident. I never meant this to happen to anybody.” Monique Cardiel addressed the court, saying, “My son didn't deserve this, he deserved to live. And the way I see it I didn't just lose my son — [Bell's] mom lost him as well because now he's going to be in trouble and gone.” The Maricopa County Attorney's Office noted that Bell used a stolen firearm in the senseless act, which forever changed a family. They expressed sympathy for the victim's loved ones coping with the loss.