DeKalb teen sentenced to 20 years in prison for 2022 shooting death of Oswego teen

A DeKalb teen has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2022 murder of an Oswego teen.

Brian Bell Jr., 18, on Sept. 24 pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Kendall County Judge Jody Gleason, according to a news release from the Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office. Under Illinois law, Bell must serve all of his sentence.

In addition, Bell will have a three-year period of mandatory supervised release and will have to register as a violent offender against youth after he completes his sentence. Bell was charged in the death of Ashton Laatz, 18, of Oswego, which occurred at 5:21 p.m. Dec. 22, 2022, in the first block of Circle Drive East in the unincorporated Boulder Hill subdivision.

Bell was the front seat passenger in a car being driven by Laatz, who stopped the vehicle in the area of Circle Drive East and picked up two male juveniles, according to the release. Bell brandished a firearm in an apparent attempt to rob Laatz over a drug deal, according to the release.

A struggle ensued between Bell and Laatz. The firearm discharged and the gunshot struck Laatz in the thigh, according to the release.

After Laatz was shot, Bell and the others fled from the vehicle as Laatz attempted to drive away, according to the release. One of the other juveniles fired a different handgun at the fleeing vehicle.

He was unable to drive further than a couple of blocks and his vehicle crashed. Laatz was rushed to an area hospital but succumbed to the single gunshot wound, according to the release.

“I cannot imagine the pain of a parent losing their child to such senseless violence,” Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis said in the release. “An entire family has been torn apart by the greed and depravity of one individual. While no sentence will ever bring Ashton back or restore the Laatz family, my hope is that some closure occurred today for the family in recovering from this horrific tragedy.”

Bell was represented by the Kendall County Public Defender’s Office.