WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO) — State Police say Jeffrey Lynn Bell Jr was arrested Thursday. In April 2024, a State Police Detective said he met with the Washington County Child Support Administrator who said she received emails stating Bell had died. The emails brought up the fact that since Bell had died, a large amount of child support Bell owed would go unpaid.

That detective says he found out that Bell was alive and living at a home in northern Washington County with his girlfriend. After finding this out, the Washington County Prosecutor charged Bell with false informing and provided a court date.

On Thursday January 23, Bell appeared in the Washington County Circuit Court via a virtual online meeting regarding the false informing charges. He claimed that he had to make his appearance virtually instead of in-person because he was out of the state.

Police say they suspected that Bell was conducting the virtual meeting from the same residence where the detective found him before.

Washington County Sheriff’s Department deputies were sent to that home and say they found Bell Jr inside the home. The Judge ordered Bell to be taken into custody and transported to the courtroom.