2003 murder of Tyesha Bell solved; man sentenced to 70 years

A Yorkville man was sentenced Friday to 70 years in prison for the murder of an Aurora woman 23 years ago.

In May, a jury found Prince L. Cunningham guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Tyesha Bell, who disappeared from her apartment in May 2003.

Bell’s skeletal remains were found at a construction site in Montgomery in December 2020. In addition to identifying the remains as belonging to Bell, forensic analysis concluded that the remains had been there for 10 to 15 years.

An autopsy determined that Bell died of a gunshot wound to the back of her head, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Cunningham was in a romantic relationship with Bell and was the father of her daughter. During the early hours of the morning on May 9, 2003, Bell left her apartment to meet Cunningham and never returned.

Following her disappearance, Cunningham gave law enforcement false information regarding his relationship with Tyesha Bell, according to prosecutors. He also caused a monthslong delay in the case’s investigation by changing his phone number, deactivating his phone and giving his vehicle to his niece.

Cunningham was sentenced Friday by Kane County Judge Julia Yetter.

Cunningham must serve the full 70-year sentence as well as a 25-year mandatory enhancement because he personally fired the gun used in the murder, according to a news release from the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.

“This sentence justly represents the horrific choice that Prince Cunningham made when he chose to take the life of Tyesha Bell,” Kane County State Attorney Mosser said in a statement. “He robbed Tyesha’s daughters of their mother and robbed her family of a sister and a daughter, and he did so purely out of his own selfishness. Although no sentence can undo the pain caused by this defendant, today’s outcome delivers the justice Tyesha deserves.”