The Paseo Massacre

On Monday, September 20, 1948, two officers, Charles Neaves, 30, and Sandy Washington, 26, were dispatched to 1334 Paseo on a disturbance call. The two officers had responded to a call at that address two days earlier and arrested William Bell, on the complaint of Mrs. Helen Rainey.

When the officers arrived they found a drinking party in progress. They informed William Bell, who was participating, that he was in violation of the conditions of his Peace Bond and would have to accompany them to police headquarters.

George Bell, William's brother, objected to the arrest and was subsequently told to come along. On the pretense of looking for his coat George Bell suddenly produced a shotgun and fired point blank at Officer Neaves, striking him in the stomach, and killing him.

While trying to escape from the apartment, Officer Washington was shot and killed by William Bell with the same shotgun. William also killed Officer Charles Perrine, 45, with a riot gun taken from a police vehicle. William wounded Sergeant William Wells, 34, and Officer Keiffer Burris, 34, before he was killed. Also slain was Edwin Burton Warren, 27, an innocent bystander.

On December 8, 1948, George Bell, charged with slaying Officer Neaves was given the death penalty by a Circuit Court Jury. The jury returned its verdict to Judge Dewey P. Thatch after deliberating for four hours and twenty-two minutes.

On February 11, 1949, George Bell was transferred from the county jail to the State Penitientiary in Jefferson City, Missouri. He was sentenced to die on March 25, 1949 in the lethal gas chamber.

Because of an appeal pending in the Missouri Supreme Court, George Bell was not executed until December 2, 1949 at 12:01 a.m. George Bell became the 25th person to be executed by the State of Missouri.

Officer Charles Perrine was survived by his brother, Officer Arthur Perrine Jr. #573, who served from 1929 to 1934 and later served as Chief of Police in Riverside, MO from 1961-1963 and Municipal Judge of Northmoor, MO from 1971-75. Arthur Perrine Jr. passed away in June of 1994.