Roll of Honor
Incident
Marshal Douglas Bell was shot and killed with his own weapon after stopping a stolen vehicle outside of Keota. He had pursued the vehicle on Highway 77 for about three miles outside the town limits before the vehicle stopped. Fearing that Marshal Bell would discover that the vehicle was stolen, the driver attacked him as the marshal wrote a ticket. He was able to gain control of Marshal Bell's service revolver and shot him six times, reloaded it, and then shot him three more times. On August 28, 1979, a 21 year-old Iowa Penitentiary inmate was charged with Marshal Bell's murder. He was serving a 10 year sentence for a 1978 kidnapping conviction. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life on July 29, 1980. Marshal Bell had served with the Keota Police Department for two weeks.
Survivors
He is survived by his father, who was a retired sheriff's deputy, his mother, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-585233CD- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Marshal Bell served with the Keota Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Keota community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Marshal Bell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Marshal Douglas Paul Bell is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Douglas Paul Bell's cause is highlighted.
How Douglas Paul Bell Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Douglas Paul Bell is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Douglas Paul Bell was killed by officer's handgun.