In the spring of 2020, the life of 26-year-old Earnest Lee Cunningham Jr. was tragically cut short in Bessemer, Alabama. On the evening of Thursday, April 2nd, officers from the Bessemer Police Department were dispatched to the 400 block of 8th Avenue North around 9 p.m. following reports of a person being shot. Upon their arrival, they discovered Cunningham inside a vehicle, suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial investigations by the authorities were challenging as they worked to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting. For several days, no suspects were publicly identified, and the circumstances surrounding Cunningham's death remained unclear. The Bessemer Police Department, however, continued their diligent work on the case, pursuing leads and gathering evidence.
A significant breakthrough in the investigation came the following week. On Wednesday, April 8, 2020, Bessemer police announced the arrest of two individuals in connection with the murder of Earnest Lee Cunningham Jr. The suspects were identified as 21-year-old Jeremiah Tyshawn Williams and 25-year-old Devarious Rashad Moore. Both men were formally charged with murder.
According to the investigation, the motive behind the shooting was an apparent robbery. It is believed that Williams and Moore were attempting to rob Cunningham when the fatal shots were fired. Following their arrests, both suspects were booked into the Jefferson County Jail, each with a bond set at $100,000.
