INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man won’t serve any time behind bars after pleading guilty to reckless homicide in the accidental shooting death of his grandmother — who had been attempting to break up a fight between the man and his sister.

Montez Jointer, 41, was arrested in January 2022 in connection to the deadly shooting of 78-year-old Doris Bell on Dec. 29, 2021.

According to court documents, police were called to the home on N. Bolton Drive at approximately 12:46 a.m. on report of a person shot. Police arrived to find Bell with a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead on scene.

Family members told police that Jointer had been arguing and fighting with his sister just prior to the shooting. Jointer reportedly left the home during the argument only to return and begin fighting with his sister again. Only this time he had a gun in his hand.

Multiple witnesses said Bell had been attempting to play peacekeeper by breaking up the fight when the gun went off in Jointer’s hand and a bullet struck Bell.

Court documents reveal that Jointer reportedly blamed his sister, saying, “You made me shoot my grandma.”

Jointer told police he called 911 himself and put his gun on the kitchen table, after removing the magazine.

“She was innocent. My mom didn’t deserve this at all and now a piece of my heart is gone,” said Tonya Cushenberry, Bell’s daughter.

Court documents detail that a witness to the deadly shooting told police that it was normal for Jointer to come over with a gun and set it down while visiting.

Jointer told police he only had the gun in his hand because he was trying to take it with him as he left, having returned to the house to retrieve the weapon after his sister told him to leave.

“She’s not here because of negligence of a gun,” said another daughter, LaRhonda Hankins.

As part of Jointer’s plea deal, he was sentenced to four years with one year served in Community Corrections followed by the remainder of his stint spent on home detention and probation.