Father And Son Charged With Second Degree Murder In Fatal Beating

DETROIT (WWJ) - A father and his teenage son who allegedly beat a man to death in Detroit appeared in court on Wednesday.

Detroit police said 45-year-old Carl Bell of Detroit was killed Sunday evening at Happy's Food Liquor Store, on West 8 Mile Road near Hubble.

According to investigators, Bell was standing in the checkout line when he got into an argument with 39-year-old Reginald Sturgis and his 15-year-old son. The elder man, with the help of his son, allegedly punched Bell repeatedly.

The pair was arrested a short time later. Bell, who the Wayne County Medical Examiner's office identified using fingerprints, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Sturgis was charged Wednesday with second degree murder, and his son the same — but in juvenile court.  The teen's name has not been released.

Both remain jailed and will be back in court for formal arraignments later this week.

Meantime, Detroit police are continuing to investigate a separate fatal beating of a yet unidentified man that happened the night before. In that case, the victim was chased into a market on Second Ave. by five men. One attacker struck the victim in the head with a metal dolly, police said.

A 33-year-old man was arrested in connection with that case, but three additional suspects remained at large on Tuesday.

The remaining suspects are a black male who was wearing a long black coat, black shirt and black pants; a black male, who was wearing a Pistons hat and jacket; and a black male with braided or twisted hair who wearing a black hat, black jacket and black pants.

Anyone with information about either of these cases is urged to contact Detroit police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.