He committed the murders while out on parole for a previous aggravated robbery in which he almost killed a service station attendant.

[3] His parents often drank and were violent to each other, and eventually separated when he was seven years old, after which Bell began to get into trouble and be involved in petty crime.

[2][1] He severely attacked an attendant of the station from behind with a stolen police baton and stole the cash register drawer.

[2] The man he attacked surrendered, and told him to take the money, then moved to hide in a toilet cubicle.

The Board imposed five conditions, including seeing a psychologist, alcohol and drug counselling, and to work in a job approved by his probation officer.

[5] Bell had more than 100 prior criminal convictions, including theft, fraud, unlawful taking of motor vehicles, burglary, entering with intent, demands with intent to steal, aggravated robbery, presenting a firearm, impersonating police, assault, trespass, traffic and drug offences.

[1][6] An investigation by The New Zealand Herald found Bell's criminal record "cover[ed] six pages of computer printout".

[3] Bell was assigned to the Māngere probation office which was supposed to monitor his compliance, but not one of the five conditions was met.

[5] He found a job as part of a work experience program as a barman at the RSA in Panmure[6] but never told his probation officer.

[2] In November of that year, he assaulted a woman, but his probation officer did not start proceedings that could get him returned to prison.

[3] Bell and Darnell Kere Tupe, his getaway driver, smoked cannabis and drank through the night before the murders, which occurred at about 8:00 a.m. the following morning.

[9] Bell was carrying a shotgun in a guitar case, and was wearing a police shirt at the time of the killings.

"[2] Couch, who was left bloodied and near death, received brain damage and other permanent injuries in the incident.

[3] The Crown argued that Bell had spent time planning the robbery, and might have gotten the job to scout out the RSA.

[13] Psychological reports presented to the court showed that Bell had a high risk of violent reoffences if he was ever released.

[3][16][17] The Crown maintained that Tupe knew Bell had a gun and that the people in the club would be harmed, and went along with the robbery anyway.

[3] The Corrections Department conducted an internal inquiry to examine the management of Bell's release by the probation service.

[11] Eleven years after the attacks, the Department of Corrections announced it would be offering Susan Couch $300,000 in punitive damages.

Bell was treated for his wounds, which included a fractured eye socket and internal bleeding, at Auckland Hospital.

[13][21] Shephard attacked him due to the fact that Bell bragged about his crimes and made disparaging comments towards his victims.