Ethan Cunningham, a 22-year-old resident of Baltimore, has been convicted by a Superior Court jury for the first-degree felony murder while armed, along with several related charges. The conviction stems from the shooting of James Lee Curtis in May 2022. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the verdict.
The jury also found Cunningham guilty of multiple other offenses including first-degree burglary while armed, attempted robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of possession of firearm during crime of violence (PFCOV), 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.
According to evidence presented by the government, on May 10, 2022, at approximately 9:30 p.m., James Lee Curtis was returning home after getting dinner and picking up his roommate when he was followed into his apartment building by Cunningham and an associate. Cunningham brandished a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and repeatedly assaulted Curtis in an attempt to force him to open his apartment door where others were present. Despite Curtis's refusal and subsequent assault throughout the basement area of the building, it was only when Curtis’s roommate intervened that Cunningham began shooting. He struck Curtis once and hit the roommate's backpack before threatening to shoot him as well and fleeing the scene. Curtis succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
Cunningham was arrested on May 30, 2022, and has been detained since then.
The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum.