Ohio – In a horrific case in Ohio marked by jealousy, violence, and loss, a 33-year-old man, identified as N. Cunigan, was convicted on multiple charges, including murder and felonious assault, for the deaths of his pregnant 32-year-old ex-girlfriend, identified as P. Taste, and a 16-year-old boy, identified as D. Johnson. The verdict found him guilty on 10 separate counts in the killings of Taste, her unborn child, and Johnson.
Prosecutors argued that Cunigan’s actions were driven by obsession and suspicion after his relationship with Taste ended. He had sent her a series of threatening text messages, including the chilling line, “you better not touch anyone else.” The court heard how, in the early hours of May 22, 2024, that threat turned deadly. Shortly after 6 a.m., Cunigan forced his way into Taste’s home, where her children and another adult were inside. According to trial testimony, he opened fire almost immediately. Taste, who was about four months pregnant, was shot as she ran down the stairs toward the basement. Johnson, a family friend, was found in a bedroom, his body hidden under blankets, with a gun still in his hand.
Prosecutors said Johnson had nothing to do with the conflict between Cunigan and Taste. His family, devastated by the loss, later spoke of their disbelief that he was targeted at all. Inside the home during the shooting were Taste’s then-4-year-old twins and another adult, neither of whom suffered physical injuries but who were left to witness the chaos and aftermath of the violence.
Police officers arrived within minutes after receiving 911 calls about gunfire at the residence. Body camera footage played in court showed a sergeant deciding to enter the home and encountering one surviving adult. The footage also captured the moment officers discovered Taste’s body at the bottom of the basement stairs. Another officer’s body camera revealed the search of the bedroom where Johnson lay concealed beneath covers. He had initially been overlooked in the frantic moments after entry. Once uncovered, officers saw he was holding a firearm, though prosecutors insisted the evidence would disprove any claims of self-defense. Cunigan fled the scene and evaded capture for two months before being located and arrested. His trial began with the prosecution outlining how his jealousy had escalated into threats and ultimately double homicide.
The jury’s decision brought some measure of relief to the victims’ families, though the pain remains raw. Taste’s mother, tears streaming down her face, told reporters she was grateful for justice but painfully aware that her daughter’s children still no longer have their mother. Johnson’s mother spoke weeks after the shooting, expressing disbelief and heartbreak over her son’s death. She emphasized that life would never be the same for those who loved him, and while healing might come in small steps, the wound would never fully close.
Cunigan is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29. The convictions carry the possibility of decades in prison, ensuring that he will face the consequences of a crime that shattered two families and left a community grieving. For the loved ones of Taste, her unborn child, and Johnson, the verdict offers accountability, but no verdict can restore the lives stolen on that May morning.
