Family members of Robin Bell heard testimony Thursday of how the 44-year-old woman was murdered in an after-hours break-in at the Dollar General store in Bonner Springs.
Bell, the store manager, was the stepmother of Ashlie Marx-Bell of Emporia and Erin Bell of Madison and the wife of the young women’s father, Don Bell of Tonganoxie.
The family was in the Wyandotte County Courthouse Thursday for preliminary hearings that began at 10 a.m. and did not end until after 3 p.m. The hearings were for Robert M. Haberlein, 19, of Kansas City, and John W. Backus, 20, of Bonner Springs. Backus was charged in September of this year with first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated robbery.
Haberlein, who was 17 years old when the attack happened, initially was charged in juvenile court. At the hearing Thursday, Haberlein learned that because of his prior violent juvenile record, he would be adjudicated as an adult.
Erin Bell said that a trial is to be set for the men within 90 days.
Charges against Amber M. Russell, 17, of Lenexa, may be changed if she testifies truthfully against the men, Erin Bell said. She questioned, however, whether the testimony she heard Thursday was truthful.
Russell told the court Thursday that her family had been close to the Bell family; Erin and her family say that they do not know Russell’s family.
Until this week, family members did not know how Robin Bell died in the incident. She had been found beaten to death early in the morning of Nov. 11, 2005, inside the store.
Erin Bell said that district attorney’s office personnel talked with her father and the family earlier this week, so they would be prepared to hear the torturous events that led up Robin Bell’s death. What they heard appalled and angered them. Earlier this week, Erin said that her father had to leave the district attorney’s office because he could not bear to hear more.
“We found out more today on what happened,” she said, beginning to talk about her recollections of the court proceedings on Thursday.
Backus had picked up Russell and Haberlein from their home and had driven to the Dollar General, parked across the street and walked across the street. Russell testified that she had not known what was going to happen, Erin said.
The incident began as a robbery, but the trio quickly learned that Robin Bell already had done her nightly deposit drop and there were only some five- and one-dollar bills remaining in the store.
“Robert (Haberlein) was mad because that’s all there was there,” Erin said. “That’s when he pulled the gun out on her, put her hands behind her back and forced her to go to the back of the store.”
Robin Bell was shot with a gun and brutalized with a footstool and a sharp metal tripod during the incident.
Erin said that Russell’s testimony included information about the men shooting Robin Bell with a .22-caliber gun when they forced her to take them to the store’s safe.
“It just skimmed the top of her head. It went right underneath the skin,” Erin said. “Then they shot her in the side of the mouth, hit her larynx. They found the bullet in her esophagus in the autopsy.”
Russell also said that Robin Bell had pleaded for help.
“She looked Amber in the eyes and said, ‘Help me, please, help me.’ And Amber said, ‘I can’t help you,’” Erin said.
One of the men used the footstool to jam into Robin’s eye, she said. The rubber pad from the bottom of the footstool was discovered later.
“When they did the autopsy, that rubber piece was in the very back of her head,” Erin said.
They also learned more about a sharp, heavy tripod that had been used in the attack.
“They shoved it through the side of her head, and that went through her brain,” Erin said.
After the bloody attack, the men went into the storeroom and brought out cleaning supplies to tidy themselves and the area.
“This is the most disgusting thing,” Erin said. “When they were all finished, she was already dead ... they walked back out through the front door, walked over to their truck and got in, went to McDonald’s, went through the drive-through, and ate supper.”
They changed clothes, drove to the Argentine Bridge and threw the gun, the clothes and the money into the river, Erin said.
A call to the Wyandotte County Attorney’s Office for additional information had not been returned by press time.
Hillbilly (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
December 21, 2007 at 2:17 p.m. ( permalink )
equalrights (anonymous) says...
This is why there is a death penalty. Or atleast..this is why there should be a death penalty.
December 21, 2007 at 11:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hartford (anonymous) says...
That is so sick! All three involved should be put through the same torture they gave their victim! I can not even imagine what the family had to go through hearing what had happened to their loved one. They are going to have to relive that over and over in court! Those involve will burn in hell!
December 22, 2007 at 9:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
this was so gross!! i feel sorry for the lady, its too bad, the punishment for murder should be to do the same way they killed their victim, let them have the same experience!!
December 22, 2007 at 10:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hillbilly (anonymous) says...
hmmmmmmm, guess I expressed myself to much on my feelings for the punishment these fine gentleman should receive for KILLING this woman, seems so hard to express thoughts on some subjects, especially if someone else had such a different view. I am so sorry for this family and what they heard this week.
December 22, 2007 at 11:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
luckyforme1 (anonymous) says...
Thank you all for you support during this period. We are all praying that the justice system will previal during these times. We pray that you keep our family in your prayers during this time.
Ashlie Bell
December 24, 2007 at 9:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
hang in there Ashlie
December 24, 2007 at 9:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
We, as Americans, should be ashamed to allow animals like these two guys to live. If proven guilty, they should be put to death immediately. What possible benefit could come from keeping scum like that locked in a prison and eating three square meals a day. Robin Bell doesn't have that luxury and her family has been hurt beyond repair. Kill those maggots: slowly and with extreme malice.
May 11, 2008 at 12:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
Some people think a bullet in the head in the courthouse alley,right after the trial,is cruel.I say give them a bullet in the head at the waste treatment center parking lot,if that'll make ya feel better.
May 11, 2008 at 2:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
TacoBellB (anonymous) says...
A bullet in the head seems much too humane after reading what they did to her!
May 12, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporialifer (anonymous) says...
I about lost my breakfast reading this article. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family during this difficult time.
Thank God this was moved from juvenile court. I simply cannot understand the heinous nature of this crime, and in my opinion someone capable of such an act should get the death penalty. There is no rehabilitation for a sick individual like that.
May 12, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdua8 (anonymous) says...
I have seen these 2 boys. They are cold, calculating killers! Evil dwells within them and they are proud of what they've done. You should see Haberlein's smug little grin...someone needs to knock it off his putrid face.
January 26, 2009 at 10:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )