In Memphis, Tennessee, a young man’s life was cut tragically short in the spring of 2020. Tydarious D. Cunningham, a 19-year-old male, was killed on April 5th of that year. The incident that led to his death unfolded in North Memphis, a place he likely knew well.
On that Sunday afternoon, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Cunningham was riding his bicycle in the 700 block of Leath Street, near Saffarans Avenue. It was there that he was called out to by his own cousin, Cecil Perry.
An argument erupted between the two family members, the nature of which has not been publicly detailed. The verbal dispute escalated horrifically when Perry produced a handgun and shot Cunningham multiple times. The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an investigation was launched. More than six months later, in October 2020, a Shelby County grand jury returned an indictment against Cecil Perry, who was 36 years old at the time. He was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his cousin. In addition to the murder charge, Perry was also indicted for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The case was set to be handled by the Shelby County District Attorney's office.
