The U.S. Marshals Service arrested a man who was wanted in connection with a homicide in Tennessee after he fell through the ceiling of the house where he was hiding.
The U.S. Marshals Service said in a news release that Deario Wilkerson, 20, was apprehended in a dramatic manner on Monday at a Memphis residence a block away from where he is suspected of taking part in the shooting death of Troy Cunningham, 27, on April 2 during a fight.
Wilkerson had been living in a house in the 1400 block of North Merton Street, where there was an attic. When he broke through the drywall ceiling above the kitchen, authorities had followed him to the house and were looking for him.
He was not injured, and the Fugitive Apprehension teams of the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and a task force of deputy marshals apprehended him without delay.
According to a news release from the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, Cunningham was discovered on a sidewalk close to Peres and Merton Street in North Memphis on April 2, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head.
Allegedly, it all started when three men grabbed Cunningham’s handgun and started shooting at him. That evening, authorities received a report about a disturbance in the area. While they were investigating, they reportedly heard several gunshots.
Prosecutors claimed that a bullet hit a passing car and struck a woman in the car in the shoulder. She had non-life-threatening wounds that required hospitalization.
The next month, two individuals were taken into custody, one of whom allegedly stole Cunningham’s gun and opened fire on him as he fled. A second individual was recognized by a witness as the second shooter who opened fire on Cunningham when the victim was attempting to flee for his life.
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On May 9, Wilkerson was supposed to be arrested on accusations of first-degree murder and reckless endangerment with a lethal weapon, according to the prosecution.
Video footage of the altercation captured one attacker apparently brandishing a gun at Cunningham, who raised his hands while Wilkerson allegedly came for him.
A witness overheard the attackers telling the victim they were going to take his “Gen,” which is code for a Glock handgun.
