MUNCIE, Ind. — A Delaware Circuit Court 3 jury on Thursday deliberated for more than four hours before finding a Muncie woman guilty of participating in the events that led to her former boyfriend's slaying.

Morgan L. Bell, now 28, was found guilty of aiding, inducing or causing murder, which carries a sentence of up to 65 years in prison.

Judge Linda Ralu Wolf read the guilty verdict about 8:15 p.m.

Testimony during this week's trial indicated Robert Eugene "Trey" Scott III, 33, was fatally shot — near his home in the 2200 block of West Ninth Street — on Feb. 28, 2021.

Witnesses said Bell's co-defendant and longtime friend, 30-year-old Brandon C. Hodge of Muncie, killed Scott with three blasts from a 12-gauge shotgun.

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Bell — whose at-times turbulent relationship with Scott had ended a few days before the slaying — told jurors she had gone to the victim's home with Hodge in a bid to retrieve credit cards the victim had purportedly taken from her, and an urn containing the ashes of a child she had miscarried.

City police who searched Scott's home after the homicide said they didn't find Bell's credit cards or an urn.

The jury also found Bell guilty of attempted obstruction of justice, a Level 6 felony carrying up to 30 months in prison.

She was found not guilty of a third charge, conspiracy to commit murder.

In his closing remarks to jurors Thursday, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zach Craig noted testimony that Scott at times had battered Bell, and that the couple dealt drugs.

"He did bad things that he never should have done," Craig said. "His actions did not warrant a death sentence."

Craig said Bell took Hodge — who he referred to as her "attack dog" — to Scott's home, "pointed him in the direction of her target and let him off his leash."

The chief deputy prosecutor also expressed skepticism about Bell's claim that Scott struck her, apparently with a pipe, a short time before his fatal encounter with Hodge.

Defense attorney Kelly Bryan told jurors testimony about domestic violence in the couple's relationship "was to give you context, to understand why she acted the way she acted."

He acknowledged his client at first lied to police about some of the events leading to Scott's death.

"She's never been in this situation before," Bryan said. "She's 26 years old."

Judge Wolf set Bell's sentencing hearing for June 8.

Craig and Deputy Prosecutor Maricel Driscoll presented the state's case against Bell, who also had a second defense attorney, Johna Goff.

Hodge, who did not testify at this week's trial, is scheduled to stand trial Dec. 4 on counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie woman found guilty at conclusion of murder trial