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KANE COUNTY, Ill. - Prince Cunningham was sentenced Friday for the 2003 murder of Tyesha Bell, bringing to a close a case that went unsolved for nearly two decades.
Tyesha Bell murder case
A judge sentenced Cunningham, of Yorkville, to 70 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following his conviction for first-degree murder.
A jury found Cunningham guilty on May 27 of killing Bell, who disappeared after leaving her Aurora apartment early on May 9, 2003, to meet Cunningham, the father of her 2-year-old daughter.
Bell's mother reported her missing later that day after she never returned home.
According to police, Cunningham initially denied having a relationship with Bell and denied being the father of her child when investigators first questioned him.
Prince Cunningham and Tyesha Bell | Provided
For years, Bell's disappearance remained a mystery.
That changed in December 2020, when a surveyor discovered a human skull on property being developed in Montgomery. Investigators later recovered additional remains, and forensic testing confirmed they belonged to Bell.
An autopsy determined Bell died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Authorities reopened the investigation as a homicide case, and Cunningham was arrested and charged in June 2022.
During the trial, prosecutors argued Cunningham killed Bell, at least in part, to stop her from pursuing formal child support payments through the court system.
Jurors heard testimony that Bell had previously taken Cunningham to court for child support and that money had been deducted from his paycheck before the case was later dropped.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that Bell told friends and family she expected Cunningham to give her a large cash payment for a car the night she disappeared.
Family members cried and embraced after the guilty verdict was announced.
What they're saying:
Bell's loved ones said the guilty verdict brought long-awaited justice after more than two decades without answers.
"And I was hoping all those years that she'd just show up one day, but she never did. So heartbreaking," Bell's friend Tiffany James said.
"I always think if she was here, she'd be doing this with me or doing that. She was always like someone you know that you thought would be around," friend Talisha Davis said.
Bell's older sister, Shaquisha Posey, said the family continues to feel the impact of Bell's death.
"He cheated us out of a little sister. He cheated her children out of their mother. When those girls get married or have babies, they need their mother there. Most importantly, he took her away from her mother," Posey said.
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Family speaks after guilty verdict in 2003 murder of Aurora mother
A candle still burning. A young mother gone. And now, a case that went cold has a conviction. But as Lauren Scafidi explains, the victim's family says it's not over yet.
Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser issued a statement on the sentencing.
"This sentence justly represents the horrific choice that Prince Cunningham made when he chose to take the life of Tyesha Bell. He robbed Tyesha’s daughters of their mother and robbed her family of a sister and a daughter, and he did so purely out of his own selfishness. Although no sentence can undo the pain caused by this defendant, today’s outcome delivers the justice Tyesha deserves. It also honors the relentless efforts of everyone who refused to let this case go unsolved, despite the defendant’s lies, attempts to distance himself from the crime, and continued refusal even today to take accountability for his actions."
Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas credited investigators who continued pursuing the case for years.
"While no sentence can undo the pain of losing a loved one, we hope today's outcome provides some measure of closure for Tyesha's family, who have carried this loss for far too many years. I am incredibly proud of the detectives who remained committed to Tyesha and the pursuit of justice on her behalf, and I am grateful for our continued partnership with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office in ensuring accountability for this senseless crime."
What's next:
Prosecutors said Cunningham, 53, must serve the full 70-year sentence in state prison under Illinois law. He received credit for 1,515 days served in the Kane County Jail.
FOX Chicago's Lauren Scafidi contributed to this report.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, the Aurora Police Department, and the family and friends of Tyesha Bell.