TAMPA, Fla. (Court TV) — Five men convicted in the drive-by shooting that killed 4-year-old Suni Bell were sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Zvante Sampson, Quandarious Hammond, Jaylin Bedward, James Denson and Andrew Thompson were tried together for the Aug. 22, 2021, incident. All five were found guilty of premeditated murder in the death of Bell and guilty of the first-degree attempted murder of the child’s mother, Mary Harrison.
FILE – Suni Bell (City of Tampa)
Sampson and Hammond were additionally found guilty of the first-degree attempted murder of Willie Brown, and Thompson, Denson, and Hammond were found guilty of conspiracy to commit the first-degree murder of all three victims.
As for the lesser included charges, all five defendants were found guilty of shooting at, within or into a vehicle. Denson, Thomas, and Hammond were found guilty of discharge of a firearm from a vehicle.
In their opening statement, prosecutors said Bell was riding in the backseat of a vehicle with her family when three cars pulled up and fired 40 shots at the vehicle. Bell was killed in the shooting, while her mother and uncle survived.
At a hearing in January 2024, prosecutors reportedly called it “a coordinated attack.” Prosecutors said surveillance video from the area shows the moments before the shooting.
In their opening statement, Sampson’s defense attorney urged the jury to consider each of the five defendants’ actions separately and said the “story is in the details” and not the prosecution’s surveillance video evidence. The defense attorneys for the other four defendants also urged the jury to consider their actions separately.
TRIAL UPDATES
SENTENCING – 10/29/25
- All five defendants were sentenced to life in prison without parole.
- WATCH: Five Men Sentenced in The Murder of Suni Bell
DAY 7 – 9/17/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 7 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- The jury finds all five defendants guilty of all charges.
- The jury sent a note asking three questions.
- 1. On each count, does the decision have to be unanimous? If 11 people say first-degree murder, and one says second-degree murder, does that mean it’s a mistrial?
- 2. If half of the people say guilty on one count and the other half say not guilty, is that a mistrial on that count?
- 3. If we even have one juror who doesn’t agree, does that make it a mistrial?
- WATCH: The Murder of Suni Bell: Deliberating Jury Asks Questions
DAY 6 – 9/16/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 6 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- Judge Fuson instructed jurors on the law before they started deliberating. Jurors then deliberated from 9:40 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m. before heading home for the night.
- To recap what the jury is tasked with deciding, the charges and lesser included offenses are as follows:
- COUNT 1: First-degree premeditated murder — Suni Bell
LESSERS: Second-degree murder and manslaughter
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? All 5 - COUNT 2: First-degree attempted murder – Mary Harrison
LESSERS: Second-degree attempted murder and attempted manslaughter
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? All 5 - COUNT 3: First-degree attempted murder – Willie Brown
LESSERS: Second-degree attempted murder and attempted manslaughter
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? Sampson and Hammond - COUNT 4: Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder – All three victims
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? All 5 - COUNT 5: Shooting into a vehicle – Vehicle occupied by all three victims
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? All 5 - COUNT 6: Discharge of a weapon
WHICH DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED? Thompson, Denson, Hammond
- COUNT 1: First-degree premeditated murder — Suni Bell
- To recap what the jury is tasked with deciding, the charges and lesser included offenses are as follows:
DAY 5 – 9/15/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 5 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- Dvante Sampson — who admitted to driving one of the cars involved in the shooting but claims he did not intend for a shooting to occur – was removed from the courtroom after interrupting the prosecution’s closing with utterances about being shot at.
- Sampson watched the rest of closings from a live feed in a holding cell after telling the judge he did not want to stay in the courtroom. The judge later told Sampson’s lawyer he did not trust Sampson to return to the courtroom for the rest of the trial.
- As attorneys from both sides delivered closing arguments, the jury heard clashing viewpoints on what they should infer about each defendant’s alleged role from their movements on gas station security cameras minutes before the shooting.
- Prosecutors said all five defendants had “blood on their hands” as alleged “principals” and coconspirators who readily jumped into cars knowing some in their group were armed.
- Defense lawyers urged the jury to consider the evidence separately for each defendant and not cast them as “guilty by association” just because they started out in the gas station parking lot together.
- ASA Anna Ismer said the videos show it took the defendants two minutes to spot the victims’ car and hatch a plan “go to war” with Sampson leading the charge. “The utter excitement of everyone running around picking up guns is indicative of a plan to kill occupants inside … The number of shots fired is indicative of intent to kill.”
- Ismer was explaining the concept of being a “principal” to an offense and how prosecutors used it to charge Sampson even though he’s not accused of shooting a firearm when Sampson started talking aloud.
- Ismer explained that Sampson and Hammond are the only defendants accused of the attempted murder of Willie Brown because Brown jumped out of the car and ran away after the first volley of bullets, which prosecutors say came from Sampson’s car. Willie Brown had left the scene by the time prosecutors say the next group of defendants in Bedward’s car reached the victims’ car and opened fire on it with Mary Harrison with her daughter, Suni, inside.
- Sampson’s lawyer, Brian Gonzalez, argued the state’s case against Sampson is based on “pure speculation,” especially when it comes to the gas station videos. He said bullet holes on the victims’ car and shell casings at the scene suggest the first round of gunfire did not come from Sampson’s car, contrary to the state’s theory. He also urged the jury to scrutinize survivor Willie Brown’s account as well as photos of his hands.
- While acknowledging his client also admitted to driving one of the cars involved, Jaylin Bedward’s lawyer, Daniel Hernandez, argued Bedward was “guilty by association” for “innocently” being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hernandez reminded the jury that even though Bedward admitted to owning a firearm of the same caliber used in the shooting, he was not charged with using it and the firearm was never recovered.
- James Denson’s lawyer, Daniel Fischetti, argued the presence of 9mm shell casings from Denson’s handgun at the crime scene did not mean Denson intentionally opened fire at the victims or intended to kill. Fischetti cited Denson’s cooperation with law enforcement – including directing them to his handgun at a pawn shop – as a sign that he had nothing to hide and suggested Denson jumped into Bedward’s car simply because he was locked out of his own vehicle.
- Andrew Thompson’s lawyer Nick Sinardi argued both a lack of and conflict in the evidence absolved his client of wrongdoing. Sinardi called the case purely circumstantial, saying nothing aside from the gas station videos put Thompson in Bedward’s car or a gun in his hand.
- Quandarious Hammond’s lawyer Jennifer Bradley focused on occupants in another car believed to be involved in the shooting who were never charged. If prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to charge the others, how did they have it for Hammond, she asked.
- In the state rebuttal argument, ASA Terry pointed out circumstantial evidence that could implicate Hammond, including internet searches on his phone for video of the shooting and his failed attempt to get his girlfriend to lie about his whereabouts.
- Concerning Denson, Terry said, “just because a person isn’t smart” and may not realize his ammo can be traced to his gun doesn’t mean he’s not guilty.
- As for Thompson, the prosecutor suggested Bedward could have given Thompson his firearm after the two got in Bedward’s car. The prosecutor also said Thompson pulling his shirt over his head could be construed as “masking up” to conceal his identity for the shooting.
DAY 4 – 9/12/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 4 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- The state rested its case-in-chief after the testimony of a medical examiner, who determined Suni Bell’s cause of death was a gunshot wound and the manner of death was homicide.
- After sending the jury home for the day, the defense argued for judgements of acquittal, which the judge denied for the five defendants.
- Det. Benjamin Bors – Extracted data from defendants’ phones
- Hammonds’ data showed Google searches within a week of the shooting for what appeared to be information related to the investigation, including, “4 year old shot in tampa video footage.”
- Hammonds’ phone also had a picture of a semiautomatic pistol; the data suggests the file was created on his phone on 8/21/25, the same day as the shooting.
- A picture of Hammond from his phone shows him wearing jeans resembling the ones he wore in the gas station video the night of the shooting.
- Retired FDLE Senior Crime Lab Analyst James Kwong testified he examined 45 cartridge casings that came from the crime scene. Fifteen of them were 5.56mm caliber and the rest were 9mm.
- Two 9mm casings were fired from James Denson’s 9mm Glock Taurus, which investigators collected from a pawn shop after Denson told them he pawned the gun.
- Two 5.56 mm casings were fired from the same firearm, which has not been recovered. The closest evidence to 5.56 ammo or firearm came from Jaylin Bedward’s car, where empty boxes were found for 5.56 ammo and a 5.56 semiautomatic pistol.
- Another group of 9mm casings came from the same 9mm handgun, another Glock Taurus that investigators identified and gave to Kwong for comparative analysis.
- Det. Chris Celaya, the lead investigator, returned to the stand to identify the second Glock Taurus that fired some of 9mm rounds found at the scene. It came to him via a separate case/investigation in November 2021. Celaya interviewed the suspect in that case and concluded he was not involved in Suni Bell’s death and did not arrest him in connection with her death. Celaya did not testify to how the suspect came to have the Glock. On cross, Celaya maintained that he did not believe the suspect was in vehicle 2 – the car also believed to be involved in the shooting – as the defense pressed him on whether he could have been one of the uncharged possible suspects from vehicle 2.
- Dr. Milad Webb, Associate Medical Examiner, Hillsborough County, testified about autopsy findings for Suni Bell
- Supervised autopsy on child victim (Suni Bell).
- Identified two gunshot wounds: one fatal (through chest/heart/lung), one non-fatal (fragment, shallow).
- Fatal wound: would have caused death within minutes, regardless of medical intervention.
- Non-fatal wound: bullet fragment lodged under skin.
- Cause of death: gunshot wound to chest/perforating heart. Manner of death: homicide.
- No evidence as to which firearm or shooter caused the wounds.
- State rested its case after Dr. Webb’s testimony.
- Following witness testimony, several defense attorneys argued for acquittal on grounds of insufficient evidence. They made the following arguments:
- No direct proof defendants possessed or discharged weapons, or intended murder.
- Surveillance videos interpreted as circumstantial; lack of proof of conspiracy/intent.
- No evidence tying several defendants to possession or discharge of firearms.
- Judge denied all motions for acquittal, found State’s case sufficient for jury consideration.
DAY 3 – 9/11/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 3 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- Det. Chris Celaya, Tampa Police Dept., continues his cross-examination:
- Celaya introduced video showing Jaylin Bedward in the gas station and getting into his car in the gas station parking lot. Similar video of other defendants was introduced yesterday.
- The gas station video is a key feature of Celaya’s testimony. Investigators used this footage to identify clothing the defendants wore the night of the shooting. From there, investigators placed the defendants in two of three cars in the gas station parking lot, which they say pursued and shot up the victim’s vehicle.
- The defendants identified themselves in the videos (as the people in the gas station store and getting into the cars) but denied (in various ways) that they were involved.
- On cross, the lawyers focused on these themes in an effort to raise a reasonable doubt:
- Celaya said he doesn’t know from which car the fatal gunshot (that killed Suni) was fired
- Mysterious vehicle number two:
- Celaya believes gunshots were fired from the second car and that he may have seen a muzzle flash on video from vehicle 2, but he can’t say with certainty
- He “tentatively” identified four people who may have been in the second car – and even named them — but said he didn’t have enough evidence to charge them
- Denson’s lawyers hammered a theme from his opening that Denson would not have volunteered information about owning and pawning a gun believed to have been used in the incident if he was involved
- WATCH: Detective: There’s No Video of Suni Bell’s Uncle on 45th Street
- Jail records custodian Luibeth Fortez Rodriguez introduced a jail phone call between Hammonds and his girlfriend from 9/2021 in which he asked her to tell police she picked him up from the gas station. She told him she could not because she was in St. Pete the night of the shooting.
- TPD Sgt. Gregory Van Heys introduced cell tower data analysis placing the defendants near two key locations: the site where the victims’ car crashed into a pole and the site where the first round of bullets are believed to have been fired.
- TPD Sgt. Michael Lippold testified/introduced pictures of scratches on the passenger side mirror of Bedward’s Chrysler 300 car that he thought might be related to the shooting.
- On cross, Thompson’s lawyer elicited testimony from Lippold that the car was a 2016 model in what seemed to be an attempt to suggest that the scratches could be unrelated to the shooting.
- Lippold also introduced stills from business security camera footage showing what he believed to be muzzle flashes from vehicle 1, the car Bedward is accused of driving with Denson and Thompson as passengers who allegedly opened fire. In the same area, he said he saw cartridge casings that he believed to be 9mm handgun and rifle
- Lippold also described an “informal conversation” he had with James Denson (while Denson’s home was being searched) about a 9mm handgun that Denson pawned and police later collected after Denson told him he had pawned it.
- Lippold said Denson asked if he would ever get it back and said he never loaned it out because “people do dumb stuff with firearms.”
- Earlier, Det. Celaya testified that ballistics evidence from the crime scene was consistent with being fired from Denson’s firearm
- TPD Officer Bessie Tafe introduced photos she took of Bedward’s car:
- Inside, she found empty boxes for 5.56 caliber ammo and a semiautomatic pistol
- 5.56 ammo was found at the crime scene
- Seems worth noting that Bedward has not been charged with discharge of a firearm from a vehicle unlike three other defendants
DAY 2 – 9/10/25
- LIVESTREAM: Murder of Suni Bell, Day 2 | FL v. Zvante Sampson, et al.
- Tampa police detective David Alverson testified about crucial surveillance footage and ballistics evidence, providing a detailed analysis of the shooting.
- Using the 911 call time as a reference point, investigators had to account for a three-hour offset between real time and the timestamp on the surveillance video. The footage showed multiple vehicles of interest, which Alverson labeled as Vehicle 1 (suspect vehicle), Vehicle 2, and Vehicle 3, along with the victim’s vehicle.
- The detective walked the jury through frame-by-frame analysis of the footage, and identified what he believed to be muzzle flashes in the surveillance footage.
- Natasha Yancy, crime scene technician, Tampa Police Dept., testified about evidence collection from silver Infiniti in impound lot.
- Responded to execute search warrant for silver Infiniti.
- Collected and identified projectiles from the trunk, under the rear passenger seat, and additional packages of projectiles.
- Algenis Maceo, Tampa police officer, testified regarding identification of Hammond in surveillance video.
- Familiar with Quandarious Hammond from prior arrests.
- Reviewed images from Chevron gas station video; identified Quandarious Hammond.
- Pointed out Quandarious Hammond in court as the individual from video.
- Det. Chris Celaya, Tampa Police Dept., described investigation steps, video evidence, key identifications, and communications between suspects.
- Received call about homicide on August 21, 2021, around 9 – 9:30 p.m., first went to the hospital; interviewed Willie Brown at Advent Hospital.
- Examined scene, saw vehicle that struck a pole, started reviewing surveillance videos from nearby businesses.
- Collected video from multiple locations (e.g., Lorenzo’s Garage, Chevron, East Tampa Pawn & Gun, Bay City Cabinets); noted time discrepancies on surveillance systems.
- Observed three muzzle flashes from vehicle in Lorenzo’s Garage video.
- Tracked the sequence and timing of vehicles leaving/returning to Chevron (e.g., 49 seconds from first vehicle exit to shooting, 56 seconds to second volley, 1:59 for vehicle to return via a different route).
- Used videos and mugshots to identify key individuals at scene/events:
- Andrew Thompson: Identified in store and pawn video; seen standing next to Jaylin Bedward’s car, then getting in.
- James Denson: Identified in pawn and store videos; seen filling a cup, crossing fence, running to Chrysler 300, admitted entering vehicle and previously pawning firearm at East Tampa Pawn.
- Firearm matched rounds found at scene per FDLE.
- Communicated with Quandarious Hammond, Zvante Sampson, and Andrew Thompson within two hours after homicide.
- Jaylin Bedward: Identified from videos/mugshots.
- Zvante Sampson: Identified in Chevron/pawn videos; entered driver seat, drove car back after incident, comms with Quandarious Hammond and JD within 50/15 mins of homicide (total 8 messages over 9 hours).
- Quandarious Hammond: Identified in store and pawn videos; entered passenger seat next to Zvante Sampson, gave statement that was contradicted by video (claimed he was picked up by girlfriend after short eastbound drive).
- Phone records show communication with Zvante Sampson and JD; statement shown inaccurate by video.
- All defendants observed hanging out, gambling, drinking at Chevron station for several hours before the incident.
- Explained how each vehicle and subject was tracked across different camera angles and locations.
DAY 1 – 9/9/25
- The prosecution argued the five defendants “teamed up” to “hunt down and kill Suni Bell and anyone in the car.”
- Sampson’s defense attorney urged the jury to consider each of the five defendants’ actions separately and said the “story is in the details” and not the prosecution’s surveillance video evidence.
- Bedward’s defense attorney argued his client did not have any “criminal involvement” in the shooting.
- Denson’s defense attorney emphasized that each defendant faces separate charges, asking the jury to focus on the circumstances of the killing and the conduct of the accused.
- Thompson’s defense attorney called it a “circumstantial case” and said there is “no direct evidence that incriminates” his client.
- Hammond’s defense attorney also urged the jury to consider each defendant’s actions separately, telling the jury it was the state’s decision to try the cases together.
- Willie Brown – Driver of car
- Victim Suni Bell, his 4-year-old niece, was riding in backseat; Mary Harrison (his sister) in passenger seat.
- Earlier that day attended memorial gathering at DeSoto Park.
- Later drove with Mary and Suni toward cousin’s shop for another memorial gathering.
- Got lost looking for location; made phone calls but couldn’t reach anyone.
- Stopped in a field near a pawn shop; noticed some people at the nearby Chevron “staring” at his car.
- Drove off; dark-colored car made a U-turn and followed him.
- Surveillance videos show his vehicle driving, followed by another dark car.
- Heard gunshots as a car pulled beside him, matching his speed.
- Testified shots came from that vehicle into his car.
- He ran from the vehicle under gunfire, leaving it behind.
- Denied ever having a gun, threatening anyone, or knowing defendants before the incident.
- On cross, Brown admitted he initially wasn’t going to attend the memorial due to family disputes, including with Mary Harrison.
- Acknowledged that at the event, he and Mary smoked marijuana and drank Hennessy while sitting in his car.
- Suggested underlying family tensions and intoxication may affect credibility.
- Mary Harrison – Suni Bell’s mother
- Testified that Suni was asleep in the backseat before gunfire broke out, and Willie jumped out of the car once shots started.
- Testified that she tried to move from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat to steer the car, and hit a pole.
- Through tears, Harrison testified that Suni repeatedly screamed, ‘Mommy.’
- On cross, she testified she was never asked to identify the vehicles involved by law enforcement.
- Testified she was not smoking marijuana that night.
Parts of this story were reported by a journalist and converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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