Man charged in killing of Chaviz Nguyen was left paralyzed by shooting four years earlier

Elysha Bedell has been on the receiving end of gun violence, an experience that dramatically altered his way of life.

Bedell was 15 when he sustained gunshot wounds that left him paralyzed, a 2019 case in which Springfield police said Bedell was suspected of shooting and injuring a man.

Court documents noted that Bedell's victim was uncooperative, so charges were never filed against the Springfield teen.

According to new allegations, the paralysis Bedell endured from a bullet four years ago didn't deter him from continuing a violent lifestyle. Now he faces life behind bars, accused of participating in a recent shooting that resulted in the death of a beloved community member.

On Thursday, a wheelchair-bound Bedell, 19, and two juveniles were booked and charged with first-degree murder and a litany of other felonies for their connection to Tuesday's shooting death of Chaviz Nguyen in downtown Springfield.

Bedell was also charged with first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and four counts of armed criminal action. The two juveniles, each 17, could potentially be tried as adults due to the nature of the crime.

It's unclear who fired the shots that killed Nguyen, 26, and injured his pregnant girlfriend in their car, as police believe there were multiple shooters in the vehicle-to-vehicle shooting. By Missouri law, a person can still face murder charges if their criminal actions result in someone's death, even if they were not the direct cause.

The motive, according to a witness, was a form of revenge that did not directly relate to Nguyen.

There had been a "ongoing disturbance" between Bedell and a friend of Nguyen's that related to a past homicide, according to the witness, who told police she believed that was the reason for Tuesday's shooting. No details of that case were provided in the police report.

Details from shooting emerge

Haley Frillman, who remained hospitalized Thursday after sustaining gunshot wounds, told police that she and her boyfriend, Nguyen, were headed downtown Tuesday for a late dinner when she noticed she was being followed by a dark-colored sedan.

Frillman, who was driving, said she noticed the vehicle "full of dudes" who appeared angry were tailing her car around 8 p.m. as she proceeded north on Kansas Expressway from Battlefield Road.

She told police the car was no longer in their view for a short distance, but after turning east onto Chestnut Street then making a right right on Grant Avenue, the vehicle was suddenly back. A series of gunshots were reportedly fired into Frillman's vehicle as it approached College Street.

Nguyen was struck by the bullets and was immediately unresponsive, according to Frillman, who was injured before she hit the gas and drove into the more foot-traffic heavy intersection of Campbell Avenue and College Street and screamed for help from bystanders.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene shortly before police and emergency vehicles arrived to find Frillman's car riddled with bullet holes.

Multiple family members, including Nguyen's father and Lucky Time restaurant owner Chea Nguyen, said they rushed from a nearby restaurant to the scene and looked on helplessly as EMT attempted life-saving measures on Chaviz Nguyen.

Springfield Police said they used a series of FLOCK cameras and eyewitness accounts to identify the shooters' vehicle, gather more evidence and make a series of arrests.

Investigators said Bedell and the two juveniles each refused to give statements Wednesday. One of the suspected gunmen, identified as S1 in the documents and who appears to be Bedell, was also allegedly involved in a vehicle shooting on Monday, the day before Nguyen's death, that was also under investigation.

Bedell arrested but released months earlier

According to a police report dated May 6, Bedell was arrested in April on suspicion of vehicle theft, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance. Two other suspects were also involved in the investigation, including a juvenile.

Charges didn't immediately follow and Bedell released.

On Thursday, days after he was accused of shooting and killing Nguyen, Bedell was formally charged for the alleged April crimes.

It wasn't immediately clear Friday why prosecutors filed those charges this week instead of months earlier.

Bedell is the son of Daniel L. Bedell, a Springfield man who was in and out of prison for a range of crimes before dying earlier this year at age 38. In 2014, he was arrested for a series of felonies after reportedly reaching for a gun at Ziggies Café and being combative with officers.

Nguyen had a 'big heart'

When news of Nguyen's death began to travel around the Ozarks, dozens of the former Parkview football player's friends, teachers and coaches immediately went to social media to post their condolences.

Nguyen went on to play at Lincoln University and, according to his social media pages, worked at BMW Springfield. He was widely described as good, hard-working family man who stayed out of trouble. He had a young child and was expecting another in the coming weeks.

"This breaks my heart," Anthony Hays, now the head football coach Savannah High School, posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. "Chaviz was so likeable, one of those players that you just loved to coach. I'll always remember his infectious smile and big heart."

Drury basketball standout and Springfield product Makaiya Brooks dedicated her 23 points in Thursday's win over Missouri Baptist to her fallen friend.

"All for you, Chaviz," Brooks posted.

More: 'Stop the gun violence!': Concerned citizens gather in wake of Chaviz Nguyen's death

Nguyen was the third person to die in a shooting homicide in Springfield in 18 days, a recent uptick that had drawn the attention of Action Center's Pastor Roger Franklin, whose emergency meeting at a packed Mimi's Soulfood on Wednesday attracted dozens of concerned citizens seeking change.

There have been 17 homicides in Springfield this year and 90 since 2020.

"Everybody in our city should be concerned at the rate of (these killings) happening," Franklin said Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Suspect in death of Chaviz Nguyen evaded earlier criminal charges