Judge nixes 'deal of the century' for dad who got 'mad' and shot mom in face, left body for 5-year-old to find: Police

A Wyoming district judge has rejected a proposed plea deal that would have allowed a 25-year-old man accused of fatally shooting the mother of his young child in Riverton to serve less than two decades in prison, according to court records.

Fremont County District Judge Jason Conder denied the proposed agreement for Sterling Louis Black Jr., who faces charges in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Angelina Bell at the Ol' Wyoming Motel located in the 400 block of North Federal Boulevard in Riverton, Wyoming.

Incident Overview

According to court documents and police affidavits, officers responded on March 7 to the Ol' Wyoming Motel after an unidentified caller notified 911 emergency dispatchers that a young child had discovered her mother covered in blood inside a motel room. The caller reported that the child was unsure whether her mother was conscious but observed a significant amount of blood at the scene. Upon arrival, responding officers were greeted by the victim's 5-year-old daughter, who directed officers toward the bathroom, stating that her mother was inside.

Investigators entering the bathroom located 24-year-old Angelina Bell deceased from an apparent gunshot wound to the face. Court records note that Bell had a bullet entry wound near the bridge of her nose next to her right eye. Forensic examination of the scene revealed stippling, a pattern caused by unburned gunpowder particles striking the skin, across her face. Police noted in probable cause affidavits that the presence of stippling without gas burns indicated the firearm was discharged from a distance of several inches to 2 feet away. Investigators also documented visible signs of drug and alcohol use inside the bathroom.

Timeline of Events

1. March 7, 2026: An unidentified caller contacts 911 dispatchers after a 5-year-old child discovers her mother bleeding inside a room at the Ol' Wyoming Motel in Riverton.
2. March 7, 2026: Riverton Police Department officers arrive at the scene, where the young child directs them to the bathroom; officers discover deceased victim Angelina Bell.
3. March 7, 2026: Investigators transport the 5-year-old child to the police department to speak with a victim-witness coordinator and collect physical ballistics evidence from the room.
4. March 7, 2026: Several hours after the victim's discovery, Sterling Louis Black Jr. contacts authorities stating his intent to turn himself in after his father locates him in an abandoned trailer.
5. October 2026: Fremont County District Judge Jason Conder formally denies the proposed plea agreement during district court proceedings.
6. October 30, 2026: Court-ordered deadline for the prosecution and defense legal teams to submit updated status reports.
7. January 25, 2027: Scheduled start date for the jury trial of Sterling Louis Black Jr. on the charge of second-degree murder.

Suspect Information

Sterling Louis Black Jr., age 25, is the named defendant in the homicide case. According to law enforcement reports, Black is the father of the 5-year-old girl who was present in the motel room during the incident. Authorities stated that after the shooting occurred, Black's father found him hiding inside an abandoned trailer located on the father's property. Black's father urged his son to surrender to law enforcement officers, after which Black initiated contact with police authorities to surrender.

Victim Information

The victim was identified in court and police filings as 24-year-old Angelina Bell. She was the mother of the 5-year-old child who alerted responders to the scene. Following the judicial rejection of the plea bargain, Bell's father, Byron Bell, publicly expressed relief regarding the judge's decision. He stated to news outlets that he strongly opposed the agreement, emphasizing his position that his daughter's life was worth more than a reduced prison sentence and advocating for maximum accountability under the law.

Police Response

Officers with the Riverton Police Department responded to the Ol' Wyoming Motel immediately after emergency dispatchers received the 911 call. Upon arrival at the 400 block of North Federal Boulevard, responding officers secured the location and made contact with the victim's minor daughter. The child led officers directly to the bathroom, where police located Bell's body. Patrol officers established a secure perimeter around the room to preserve physical and forensic evidence until homicide detectives and crime scene technicians arrived to initiate the formal investigation.

Investigation

The homicide investigation was conducted by detectives with the Riverton Police Department. Detectives transported the victim's 5-year-old daughter to the police station to conduct an age-appropriate interview in the presence of a victim-witness coordinator. During the interview, the child made several statements describing the incident, telling investigators that her father went for a walk, that he was mad at her mother, that her mother had blood on her, and that her mother was dead. Detective staff thoroughly processed the bathroom crime scene, conducting ballistics assessments, evaluating gunpowder patterns, and documenting physical evidence.

Evidence Collected

• A spent 9 mm shell casing recovered by crime scene detectives from inside the toilet bowl in the motel room bathroom.
• A plastic handgun storage case for a SAR 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, which contained two empty ammunition magazines, recovered inside the motel room.
• A SAR 9 mm semiautomatic handgun handed over to police by the suspect's father, bearing a serial number that matched the plastic case found at the crime scene.
• Forensic observations of facial stippling patterns indicating a close-range discharge distance of several inches to 2 feet from the victim.
• Documented physical indicators of alcohol and drug consumption located within the motel room bathroom area.

Arrest Details

Several hours following the discovery of the crime scene by police, Sterling Louis Black Jr. notified law enforcement agencies that he intended to turn himself in. According to police reports cited by local media, Black's father located him inside an abandoned trailer on the father's property and urged him to do what was right. Black subsequently surrendered to police officers. The suspect's father also turned over the SAR 9 mm handgun used in the crime to investigating detectives.

Charges Filed

The legal filings in this case involve multiple criminal counts under Wyoming statutory law:

• Second-Degree Murder: Under Wyoming statutes, second-degree murder involves intentionally and maliciously killing another human being without premeditation. It is a severe felony offense carrying statutory prison terms ranging from twenty years to life imprisonment. Prosecutors must establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant acted with malice and caused the victim's death.
• Manslaughter: Manslaughter is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice, committed either voluntarily upon a sudden heat of passion or involuntarily during the commission of an unlawful act. Under the rejected plea deal, the defendant would have pled guilty to this charge in place of second-degree murder, yielding a lower sentencing range.
• Child Endangerment: Child endangerment involves intentionally or knowingly permitting a minor child to be placed in a situation that threatens the child's life, physical health, or safety. In this matter, the charge stems from exposing the 5-year-old child to the fatal shooting and leaving her alone at the crime scene.

Court Information

The case is proceeding in the Fremont County District Court under District Judge Jason Conder. District courts in Wyoming hold trial jurisdiction over felony criminal prosecutions. Judge Conder denied the negotiated plea deal because its binding terms stripped the court of sentencing discretion, mandating a fixed sentence of 18 to 20 years regardless of case specifics. Following the rejection, the court permitted Black to withdraw his guilty plea. The judge directed both the prosecution and defense to file status reports by Oct. 30. Unless an alternative disposition is reached, the jury trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 25, 2027.

Statements from Authorities

While official statements from prosecutors were not released in public filings, court documentation reflects the investigative findings submitted by Riverton Police Department detectives. The victim's father, Byron Bell, made public statements opposing the proposed agreement, characterizing it as the deal of the century and stating to news outlets: "I wanted the judge to understand that my daughter's life wasn't worth any number, especially 18 to 20 years. I believe the more years her killer spends behind bars the better."

Public Safety Information

Law enforcement authorities remind the public that domestic disputes and intimate partner violence can escalate rapidly into lethal situations. Individuals facing domestic abuse, violence, or severe personal threats are encouraged to contact emergency law enforcement services immediately by dialing 911. Free, confidential support and safety planning resources are available nationwide 24 hours a day through the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233 or texting START to 88788.

What Happens Next

Following the rejection of the plea deal, the criminal case advances through pre-trial proceedings in Fremont County District Court. Counsel for both the defense and state must file status reports with the court by Oct. 30. During the pre-trial phase, the parties may conduct further discovery, submit pre-trial evidentiary motions, or negotiate revised plea terms subject to court approval. If no deal is reached, jury selection and trial proceedings will begin on Jan. 25, 2027. Under the United States Constitution, the defendant retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.