On a Mother's Day that would forever be marked by tragedy for one family, Keith Cundiff Jr., a 32-year-old male, was fatally shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The incident occurred on Sunday, May 14, 2017, just before 3 p.m. in the 800 block of North Maryland Avenue. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found Cundiff on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cundiff, a father of three, was also known as a local rapper by the name of K-Miz and was reportedly preparing to release a new mixtape.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly. By the early hours of the following Monday, an arrest was made. Lorin Wright, a 31-year-old man from Atlantic City, was taken into custody inside a residence on the 1000 block of Brights Court. He was subsequently charged with murder and weapons offenses. Authorities suggested that the motive for the killing appeared to be gang-related, noting that both Cundiff and Wright had been arrested in 2013 during a roundup of members of the 800 Blok gang.
As the legal proceedings unfolded, a darker history surrounding Lorin Wright came to light. While in custody for Cundiff's murder, investigators connected him to a cold case homicide from July 6, 2010. In that case, Saleem Tolbert, who was described as a childhood friend of Wright, had been gunned down. In October 2019, Wright was charged with Tolbert's murder as well.
Ultimately, Lorin Wright was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his crimes, bringing a measure of closure to the families of both his victims. The plea deal he accepted encompassed both the 2017 murder of Keith Cundiff Jr. and the 2010 killing of Saleem Tolbert. Under the terms of his sentence, Wright is required to serve at least 17 years before becoming eligible for parole. During the sentencing, the mother of Keith Cundiff Jr., Rochelle Alexander, addressed her son's killer, stating that Mother's Day would never be the same for her. Wright, for his part, declined to make a statement.
