Baltimore man convicted for Southeast D.C. murder; sentencing set for March

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Baltimore man convicted for Southeast D.C. murder; sentencing set for March

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Matthew M. Graves U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia

Ethan Cunningham, a 22-year-old from Baltimore, Maryland, has been convicted by a Superior Court jury on two counts of felony murder while armed and additional charges related to the fatal shooting of James Lee Curtis in May 2022. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., alongside Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Cunningham's conviction includes charges of first-degree burglary while armed, attempted robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of PFCOV (Possession of a Firearm During Crime of Violence), carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2025, under Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. on May 10, 2022. According to evidence presented by the government, Curtis was returning home after picking up dinner and his roommate when Cunningham and an accomplice followed him into his apartment building. Cunningham reportedly brandished a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and assaulted Curtis repeatedly while demanding entry into his apartment where a child and woman were present.

When Curtis refused to comply with the demand to open the door, he was assaulted further throughout the basement area until his roommate attempted to intervene. Cunningham then opened fire, hitting Curtis once and striking his roommate’s backpack before threatening to shoot the fallen roommate and fleeing the scene. Curtis succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.

Cunningham was apprehended on May 30, 2022, and has been detained since his arrest.

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum.

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