Man accused of killing pregnant woman, 16-year-old found in Cleveland

Cunigan Jr, Nicole Narome (05/22/1992) Cunigan Jr, Nicole Narome (05/22/1992) - Held in custody of Montgomery County Jail with booking number 22-000996 on 01/24/2022 at 11:31 AM. Probation Violation - Probation Violation Ccs (Pending); Second Degree Felony - Felonious Assault (Pending); Fifth Degree Felony - Domestic Violence/Injry (Pending); (Montgomery County Jail)

By WHIO Staff

CLEVELAND — A man accused of shooting and killing a pregnant woman and teenager was found in Cleveland on Tuesday, a spokesperson with the Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman, 16-year-old dead after shooting in Dayton neighborhood

Nicole N. Cunigan Jr., 32, of Dayton was arrested after leading Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and Cleveland police on a pursuit.

At approximately 1:47 p.m., troopers attempted to stop a silver Chevrolet Equinox that was reported stolen and recently used in an aggravated robbery on Kinsman Ave., the spokesperson said.

Troopers said the car didn’t stop and a pursuit began.

OSHP Aviation unit began monitoring the suspect vehicle and tracked it to Phillips Ave. near Lakeview Ave., the spokesperson said.

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The suspect got out of the car and ran into a wooded area.

Troopers and Cleveland police secured the area as they searched for the suspect.

At approximately 3:19 p.m., Cunigan was found inside an abandoned house in the 12000 block of Osceola Ave., according to the spokesperson.

OSHP’s Special Response Team arrested Cunigan without incident.

>>RELATED: Charges filed against man accused of killing pregnant woman, 16-year-old in Dayton

Authorities learned Cunigan had an active felony warrant for murder out of the Dayton Police Department since late May.

Cunigan is currently at the Cuyahoga County Jail.

On May 22, Cunigan allegedly shot and killed 32-year-old Precious Taste and 16-year-old Deante Johnson at a house in the 1400 block of Shaftesbury Road, according to a previous News Center 7 report.

Taste was four months pregnant at the time of the shooting. She also shared 4-year-old twins with Cunigan.

He has since been charged with four counts of murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, four counts of felonious assault, one count of tampering with evidence, one count of weapons while under disability, and one count of improper discharge of a firearm.

“Thanks to the great work by SOFAST, the Dayton Police Department’s Homicide Unit, State Highway Patrol, and the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Office for being able to ultimately locate and apprehend Cunigan, who is wanted for murder,” Dayton police posted on social media.

We will continue to follow this story.