LaTosha Cunningham

Case record

LaTosha Cunningham was an Illinois woman from Belleville who was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of elderly bingo player Yoko Cullen, 85.

The offence

Yoko Cullen was kidnapped after leaving a bingo hall in Collinsville, Illinois. Cunningham was convicted in connection with Cullen being forced into the trunk of her car, followed by her beating and burning alive. Police believed Cullen was targeted for her bingo winnings and a credit card. Investigators stated Cullen was selected because the suspects, who also regularly attended the bingo hall, believed she was wealthy even though they were mistaken.

Police described the killing as involving Cullen being forced into her own trunk and driven to a remote location in East St. Louis near Russell Avenue and Falling Springs Road, an area known for dumping stolen cars. Search warrant materials indicated Cunningham knew Cullen from frequently attending Collinsville bingo and knew Cullen would be at the Collinsville Fireman's Hall for Wednesday night bingo, so Cunningham and DaQuan D. Barnes and Demarcus Barnes waited in the parking lot, stopped Cullen from leaving by flashing their lights, and robbed her before forcing her into the trunk.

Cunningham’s statements to police included that she saw a car with mechanical difficulties driving on Collinsville Road near the Collinsville Fireman's Hall, where the driver later was identified as Cullen. Cunningham stated that Cullen pulled to the side of the road and put on hazard lights and that Cunningham stopped to render aid. Cunningham stated that DaQuan and Demarcus Barnes asked her for tire jacks, and that she opened her trunk and they took two tire irons from her trunk and told her to leave. Cunningham stated she did not see any of Cullen’s tires appear to be flat and that she then drove the Barneses toward the BP Gas Station across the street from East St. Louis City Hall, where DaQuan Barnes put gas into a container. Cunningham then drove them back to where Cullen’s car was parked.

In those same statements, Cunningham described that she called Demarcus Barnes, followed the car to the 100 block of Falling Springs Drive in East St. Louis, then approached and saw DaQuan Barnes lean into the trunk and strike Cullen with the tire iron. Cunningham also stated that she was told the plan was to burn the car to destroy evidence.

Police said Cunningham noticed Cullen had seen her license plate number, and Illinois State Police Agent Jamie Brunnworth swore in an affidavit filed with the search warrant application: "Latosha wanted to kill Yoko because she had seen her license plate". Police also said Cunningham was acquainted with Cullen as neighbors and that both frequently played bingo at the Firemen’s Hall on Collinsville Road.

DaQuan Barnes told police that the three then split the money obtained from Cullen’s purse, with each getting $130.

Investigation

Investigators believed Cullen had been forced into the trunk and then beaten and burned alive. Her charred remains were found in the trunk of her car two days after she was kidnapped while leaving a bingo hall.

Investigators called Cullen’s bank and found Cullen’s credit cards were used on May 19 and 20, 2011. Police learned the bank received calls concerning Cullen’s credit card from Demarcus Barnes’ and Cunningham’s cell phones.

Police discovered tire irons from Cunningham’s car with Cullen’s blood on them, and said there was also a fingerprint found on one of the tire irons that matched DaQuan Barnes.

Search warrants filed in St. Clair County Court during the investigation revealed that Cunningham knew Cullen from frequenting Collinsville bingo and knew Cullen would be at the Collinsville Fireman's Hall for Wednesday night bingo.

Arrest and charging

Three people were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Yoko Cullen: Daquan D. Barnes, Demarcus D. Barnes, and LaTosha A. Cunningham. Each was being held in lieu of $3 million bail. Police said the suspects acted on the spur of the moment, with Capt. Jeff Wild saying: "It was a crime of opportunity. She was carjacked and taken to East St. Louis, where she was murdered".

The Major Case Squad team made the arrests and obtained charges against the three suspects. Capt. Jeff Wild commanded the Major Case Squad team that made the arrests and obtained charges against the three suspects. Detectives said they arrested the three based on unspecified information received during intensive interviews with the three and other witnesses. Wild said evidence indicated the crime had not been planned.

Police also reported that detectives believed Cunningham and Cullen were acquainted as neighbors and that both frequently played bingo at the Firemen’s Hall on Collinsville Road. Police said the suspects apparently thought Cullen had a substantial amount of money with her but were mistaken, as she had only a small amount of money. Wild declined to say whether anything had been stolen from Cullen or whether any weapons had been found, and he also declined to say what evidence led to the arrests. Wild said no previous connection had been found between Cullen or any of the suspects.

Trial

Cunningham was found guilty after a stipulated bench trial. St. Clair County Circuit Judge Bob Haida found LaTosha "Net" Cunningham guilty after the stipulated bench trial of killing Yoko Cullen, 85, on May 18, 2011.

Police interviewed Cunningham three days after the killing. Cunningham told police she was not involved in the murder and did not try to use Cullen’s ATM card. Cunningham continued to deny involvement during a second interview with police. During a third interview, Cunningham was told Demarcus and DaQuan Barnes confessed to Cullen’s murder, and Cunningham then started to talk, according to St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly.

In statements introduced during the bench trial, Cunningham described the events leading to the killing and the post-kidnapping actions. Cunningham also denied she was involved and stated she did not try to use Cullen’s ATM card in the initial interviews.

During the hearing, State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly told Haida that Cunningham’s statements tried to minimize her involvement in the crime, but that she did nothing to help Cullen after she was abducted and shared in the proceeds of the murder. Kelly said: "No innocent person would have anything to do with the proceeds of such a diabolical crime," Kelly said.

During Cunningham’s first court appearance in this case, she collapsed and vomited into a trash can before the judge’s bench. She left the courthouse in a wheelchair.

Sentencing

Cunningham was sentenced to 60 years in prison without parole on December 11, 2013.

In issuing the sentence, Circuit Judge Robert Haida said LaTosha Cunningham would not be eligible for parole.

Cunningham was convicted of murder, and under Illinois law she would have to serve 100 percent of her prison sentence because she was convicted of murder.

Cunningham was described as having faced 20 to 60 years in prison prior to sentencing. Her sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 25.

Related cases and co-defendants

DaQuan D. Barnes, who pleaded guilty to Cullen’s murder last month, was sentenced last month to 60 years without parole for his part in the murder.

Demarcus Barnes, 30, was found mentally unfit to stand trial. The next hearing on his mental fitness was Dec. 12.

Prior convictions and other background

In 1993, a jury convicted Cunningham of shooting a 61-year-old woman in the chest after robbing her of $205. The victim, a retired Landshire employee, was giving Cunningham a ride when she testified Cunningham demanded her purse then shot her. Cunningham claimed it was a case of mistaken identity. The victim picked Cunningham out of a lineup twice.

Aftermath and evidence described in the proceedings

Investigators described a pattern in which search warrants and surveillance evidence linked Cunningham and Demarcus Barnes to attempts to use Cullen’s credit card. Police showed Cunningham surveillance photos from an ATM showing Cunningham and Demarcus Barnes trying to use Cullen's credit card.

Police learned Cullen’s remains were found in the trunk after the car had been towed to Andy's Auto Body and Towing in the city of Madison.

A coroner’s jury was told that Cullen was alive in the trunk of her car when it was destroyed by fire in East St. Louis in May. An investigator testified that Cullen’s body was almost entirely consumed by the fire, but that part of her trachea was found and the inside of it was coated with soot, and he said: "It indicated to us that she was breathing when the fire started". Pathologist Raj Nanduri found no evidence of other injuries, and the jury later ruled the death a homicide.

A neighbour described Cullen as "was a very lovely woman who kept to herself."