Dayton, OH — The trial for Nicole “Nico” Cunigan, Jr., the man charged with the shooting deaths of a pregnant woman and a 16-year-old boy, began Tuesday in a Montgomery County courtroom, more than a year after the deadly incident shocked the community.
Victims Identified as Mother of Suspect’s Children and a Teen
Prosecutors allege that Cunigan, 33, murdered Precious Taste, the mother of his children who was also pregnant at the time, along with Deante Johnson, 16, inside a home on Shaftesbury Road in May 2024.
Cunigan was arrested two months later in Cleveland, where he had reportedly fled following the double homicide.
“The state fully intends to disprove self-defense,” prosecutors told the jury during opening statements.
Grim Discoveries on Body Camera Footage
Jurors were shown body camera video from Dayton police officers who responded to the home just after 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the shootings. A Dayton Police sergeant, narrating the footage in court, explained how officers decided to enter the residence after receiving multiple 911 calls about gunfire.
Inside the home, officers found Precious Taste fatally shot at the bottom of a set of basement stairs. According to the footage shown in court, she had no pulse and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second officer’s body camera revealed the chilling discovery of Deante Johnson, whose body had initially gone unnoticed because it was fully covered by blankets.
“Officers uncovered him and spotted a gun clutched in his hand,” prosecutors said.
Self-Defense Claim May Be Central to Defense
Although Cunigan’s legal team has not formally laid out its defense strategy, prosecutors made clear in court that they expect the defense to claim self-defense, especially in light of the gun found in Johnson’s hand.
However, they cautioned the jury that the body cam footage will serve as a critical piece of evidence in countering those arguments.
Case Background and Ongoing Trial
- Nicole Cunigan was taken into custody in July 2024 in Cleveland after a regional manhunt.
- Precious Taste was the mother of Cunigan’s children, and was pregnant at the time of her death.
- Deante Johnson, a 16-year-old, was also shot and killed at the scene.
The prosecution has framed the killings as deliberate acts of domestic violence and not justified by any threat posed by either victim.
“This was not a shootout. This was a slaughter,” one prosecutor reportedly said outside court.
What’s Next
The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning, with additional testimony and more video evidence expected to be presented. Jurors are expected to hear from crime scene technicians, neighbors, and possibly medical examiners as the case unfolds.
Do you think self-defense will hold up in this case? Share your thoughts in the comments.
