A 53-year-old Yorktown man has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in 2003 by shooting her in the back of the head.
Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser announced Wedneday that a jury has found Prince L. Cunningham guilty of the offense of First-Degree Murder (a Class M felony) for the May 2003 shooting death of 22-year-old Tyesha Bell of Aurora.
According to prosecutors, during the early morning hours of May 9, 2003, Tyesha Bell left her Aurora apartment, where she lived with her sister and 1-year-old daughter, to meet Cunningham, who was already married but was in a dating relationship with Bell and was the father of her daughter. Cunningham told Bell he would meet her outside the apartment and give her money to buy a new car. The last call Bell received on her cell phone was from Cunningham. Bell left behind her purse, driver’s license, and a burning candle and was never seen or heard from again.
In the months prior, Cunningham convinced Bell to end their court-ordered child support arrangement and instead let him give her cash. They frequently met to exchange money. Cunningham also once called the police on Bell after she showed up at his house in Aurora, where he lived at the time with his wife.
In the days after Bell’s disappearance, Cunningham lied to police about his relationship with Bell, stating that he hadn’t spoken on the phone with her in months and claiming that he was not the father of their daughter. Cunningham also contacted the Montgomery Police Department claiming that a pair of Converse shoes had been stolen from his car and suggested Bell may have been involved. He additionally contacted his wireless carrier to ask that his phone be deactivated and number changed, and he gave his car to his niece, creating a months-long delay for police attempting to locate and search the vehicle.
Tyesha Bell’s disappearance was considered a missing persons case for 17 years until December 2020, when a surveyor found Bell’s skeletal remains on property being developed in the Village of Montgomery. A Converse shoe, appearing to be the same age as the remains, was also found. An autopsy and forensic analysis determined the remains belonged to Tyesha Bell and that she had died from a single gunshot wound to the back of her head.
Cunningham was indicted and arrested on June 14, 2022.
Judge Julia Yetter set Cunningham’s next court appearance for July 31, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., in Courtroom 211 at the Kane County Judicial Center for post-trial motions. Cunningham faces a sentence of between 45 and 85 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Cunningham remains in custody at the Kane County jail.
“For more than 23 years, Tyesha Bell’s family has lived with unanswered questions, unimaginable grief, and the pain of not knowing what happened to their daughter, sister, and mother,” State’s Attorney Mosser said. “Throughout this case, they carried themselves with remarkable strength and dignity. While no verdict can restore the life that was taken from Tyesha, we hope this decision brings them a measure of peace and the assurance that her life mattered, her voice was not forgotten, and the person responsible has finally been held accountable. This verdict sends a message that no amount of time, deception, or concealment can erase the truth or diminish our commitment to pursuing justice for victims and their families.”
