Death of an airman

Master Sgt. Rachel Bell, 41, a Beale Air Force Base airman whose home of record was Chico, was found dead in her Penn Valley residence on Monday (April 22). She was the third Beale airman to die in recent months.

Bell’s was the second April death in the Beale AFB community. On April 5, the body of Senior Airman Michael A. Gabany, 25, was found in his Yuba City home. Beale investigators are still working with Sutter County authorities to determine how he died.

Airman Ayaz “Neil” Ali, 41, was stationed in Georgia but visiting Beale when his body was found on Nov. 16. Initial reports said he died of self-inflicted wounds, but it was later reported he died of injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 20. He had not been seen for three days and was reported missing the day before his body was found.