A Wyoming judge has rejected a proposed plea agreement for a 25-year-old man accused of fatally shooting the mother of his young daughter, leaving the case headed toward a possible jury trial in 2027.
Sterling Louis Black Jr. is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old Angelina Bell, who was found dead inside a room at the Ol’ Wyoming Motel in Riverton on March 7. Investigators allege that Bell was shot in the face while the couple’s 5-year-old daughter was present.
Under the proposed agreement, Black would have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and child endangerment and received a prison sentence of 18 to 20 years. Fremont County District Judge Jason Conder rejected the deal, citing concerns about the restrictions it would place on his sentencing discretion.
The decision was welcomed by Bell’s father, Byron Bell, who had strongly opposed the agreement and argued that the proposed sentence was inadequate given the loss of his daughter’s life.
With the agreement rejected, the case remains unresolved, and Black is scheduled to face a jury trial on the second-degree murder charge on January 25, 2027, unless another resolution is reached.
Judge Rejects Agreement That Would Have Set Prison Term
The proposed plea deal would have significantly changed the charges Black faced.
Rather than proceeding to trial on the second-degree murder charge, he would have pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and one count of child endangerment. The agreement called for a sentence of 18 to 20 years in a state correctional facility.
Judge Conder reportedly rejected the agreement because its terms would have locked in a specific sentencing range, leaving him without the flexibility to determine a different sentence based on the circumstances of the case.
Plea agreements can resolve criminal cases without a trial, but judges must evaluate whether the proposed terms are appropriate and comply with the law. When a judge rejects an agreement, the parties may have to negotiate new terms or continue toward trial.
In this case, the judge’s decision means the proposed agreement will not resolve the charges as presented.
Bell’s father had made clear that he did not support reducing the case to a manslaughter conviction with the proposed sentence.
He described the agreement as the “deal of the century” and said he wanted the court to understand the magnitude of his family’s loss.
“I wanted the judge to understand that my daughter’s life wasn’t worth any number, especially 18 to 20 years,” Byron Bell said. He added that he believed the more time his daughter’s alleged killer spent behind bars, the better.
His reaction reflects the difficult position families can face when prosecutors and defendants negotiate plea agreements in serious criminal cases. While such agreements can spare families the uncertainty of a trial, they can also leave relatives feeling that the proposed outcome does not adequately reflect the harm caused.
Five-Year-Old Led Officers to Her Mother
The investigation began on March 7, when emergency responders were called to the Ol’ Wyoming Motel on North Federal Boulevard in Riverton.
According to court documents, a caller told the 911 dispatcher that a young girl had found her mother and that there was a large amount of blood. The caller was reportedly unsure whether the woman was conscious.
When officers arrived, the child directed them toward her mother’s body.
“Momma’s in my bathroom,” the girl reportedly told police.
Investigators found Bell in the bathroom with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the face. She was later identified as the victim in the homicide investigation.
The child was subsequently taken to the police station, where she spoke with a victim-witness coordinator. Investigators documented several statements attributed to the girl about what she believed had happened.
Among the statements reported in court documents were “Daddy went for a walk,” “Mommy has blood on her,” and “Daddy was mad at Mommy.”
The child also reportedly said, “Mommy’s dead.”
Those statements became part of the investigation as detectives worked to reconstruct the events inside the motel room. Because the child was only 5 years old, the statements must be considered within the context in which they were collected and evaluated alongside the other evidence.
The case has drawn particular attention because of the young age of the child and the circumstances in which she discovered her mother.
Investigators Found a Shell Casing and a Handgun Case
Detectives examining the motel room recovered several items they considered relevant to the shooting.
According to the probable cause affidavit, a spent 9 mm shell casing was found inside the toilet bowl in the bathroom. Investigators also discovered a plastic case for a SAR 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, along with two empty magazines. The firearm itself was not initially found at the scene.
Police documented an apparent entry wound near the bridge of Bell’s nose, close to her right eye. Investigators also observed stippling across her face, a pattern associated with gunpowder particles striking the skin.
Based on the observations described in the affidavit, investigators believed the firearm had been discharged from a distance of several inches to approximately 2 feet. The report also noted that there was no apparent exit wound.
Detectives documented other evidence in the room as they continued examining the circumstances surrounding Bell’s death.
The physical findings formed part of the evidence used to develop the case against Black. The ultimate significance of that evidence, however, will depend on how it is presented and evaluated in the criminal proceedings.
Black Later Arranged to Turn Himself In
Several hours after Bell’s body was discovered, Black reportedly contacted authorities to indicate that he intended to surrender.
According to the investigation, Black’s father told police that he had found his son in an abandoned trailer on his property. The father reportedly urged him to do the right thing.
Black’s father also turned over a SAR 9 mm handgun to authorities. Investigators said the firearm’s serial number matched the information associated with the handgun case recovered from the motel room.
The recovery gave detectives another piece of evidence to examine as they investigated the shooting.
The reported surrender arrangements and firearm recovery became part of the broader timeline that authorities used to piece together what happened before and after Bell’s death.
Black was subsequently charged in connection with the killing.
Why the Plea Deal Matters
The difference between the rejected agreement and the original murder charge is significant.
A plea agreement would have allowed Black to plead guilty to lesser charges than the second-degree murder count he currently faces. It also would have established a sentencing range without requiring prosecutors to prove the murder charge at trial.
Manslaughter and murder are distinct offenses under criminal law, with different legal elements and potential penalties. The precise consequences depend on the applicable statutes, the circumstances of the offense and the final disposition of the case.
By rejecting the agreement, the judge left the parties without the proposed resolution. Prosecutors and the defense may still explore another agreement, but any new proposal would need to be considered on its own terms.
If the case proceeds to trial, prosecutors will have to prove the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense will have the opportunity to challenge the evidence and the prosecution’s account.
The judge’s rejection of the deal does not itself establish Black’s guilt or determine what sentence he would receive if convicted.
Jury Trial Scheduled for January 2027
Following the ruling, Judge Conder reportedly directed Black and the state to submit status reports by October 30. Black was also permitted to withdraw his guilty plea.
The next major step is expected to be the scheduled jury trial on the second-degree murder charge, set for January 25, 2027, unless the case is resolved differently before then.
The proceedings will determine whether prosecutors can establish the allegations against Black in court and what legal consequences, if any, follow.
For Bell’s family, the rejected agreement represents an important development in a case that began with the discovery of a young mother’s body and the traumatic experience of her 5-year-old daughter.
Her father’s opposition to the deal underscored the family’s desire for an outcome they believe reflects the seriousness of the alleged crime.
As the case moves forward, the evidence gathered at the motel, the statements documented during the investigation and the circumstances surrounding the proposed plea agreement are likely to remain central to the proceedings.
For now, the murder charge remains pending, and the case awaits its next stage in court.
