UPDATE, Nov. 25 | Independence police confirmed Preston Bell as the victim of a homicide.
Kansas City, Missouri, police responded Sunday afternoon to an abandoned vehicle call near Interstate 435 and Truman Road.
Upon arrival, officers noted the vehicle matched that of the vehicle associated with Bell's missing person case.
When police approached the vehicle, they discovered a deceased male in the backseat with apparent gunshot wounds.
Independence detectives later arrived to confirm Bell's identity.
IPD is investigating the homicide. There is no suspect information at this time.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.
ORIGINAL STORY | The Independence Police Department is asking for the public’s help to locate a missing 19-year-old.
Preston Bell was last seen around 8:30 p.m. Saturday at a residence in the 500 block of S. Brookside.
Police said he was seen being forced into a vehicle by unknown persons.
Bell is around 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds.
He has brown hair, hazel eyes, a full sleeve tattoo on his right arm and “Pamela” tattooed on his left arm.
When last seen, Bell was wearing black sweatpants and a gray hoodie with “Senior 2023” on the front.
The vehicle he was said to be forced into is described as a black Chevrolet Malibu with a dent in the passenger door and Missouri license plate RL4-C4B.
A similar vehicle is pictured below.
Police said Bell’s family has been unable to contact him.
Anyone with information is asked to contact IPD at 816-325-7300.
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If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
