11/20/2025
A murderer hiding in the attic....
What began as a routine spring night in northeast Memphis turned into a months-long manhunt, a federal fugitive investigation, and one of the strangest arrests Tennessee officers have seen in years.
The night of the shooting - APRIL 2, 2024
Just after midnight, Memphis Police officers were called to North Merton Street after multiple gunshots rang out. When they arrived, they found 32-year-old Troy Cunningham lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. But Cunningham wasn’t the only victim.
As the shooting unfolded, a vehicle driving past the scene was also hit. Two women inside the car were struck by bullets — one woman was shot in the shoulder and rushed to the hospital. Both survived, but the randomness and severity of the violence immediately elevated the case.
Witness statements and early evidence pointed investigators toward one suspect.... 20-year-old Deario Wilkerson.
An arrest warrant was issued - MAY 2024
About a month later, on May 9, police issued a first-degree murder warrant for Wilkerson. He was also wanted for reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, and several unrelated warrants. But by the time authorities moved in, Wilkerson was already gone.
For the next several weeks, he moved between houses, staying with acquaintances, ducking police patrols, and avoiding every attempt to bring him in. At one point, officers arrived at a home minutes after he slipped out a back door. Because he continued to evade capture, the case was handed off to the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force, a multi-agency team specializing in dangerous fugitives.
Months on a manhunt - SUMMER 2024
Throughout June, July, and August, U.S. Marshals and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office continued tracking Wilkerson’s movements. Tips came in, but none led to a confirmed location.
He was considered armed, dangerous, and unpredictable — and the longer he remained on the run, the more concerned investigators became. By late August, the task force had narrowed its search to a cluster of houses in the Raleigh area of Memphis.
Raiding THE home - AUGUST 26, 2024
On the morning of August 26, officers surrounded a residence on North Merton Street. A team of Marshals, Sheriff’s deputies, and Memphis Police entered the home to search.
At first, the house seemed empty - there were no sounds, no movement. Then officers noticed dust falling from the ceiling. A scuffling noise. Boards creaking. Someone was in the attic.
As they positioned themselves, something suddenly gave way.
A large section of ceiling collapsed - and Deario Wilkerson fell straight through it, landing at the feet of deputies standing in the hallway.
He hit the floor HARD, stunned but uninjured. Officers immediately restrained him. & After more than four months of searching, the fugitive hunt was over in seconds.
Wilkerson was taken into custody and booked on the following:
First-degree murder
Two counts of attempted murder
Aggravated assault
Reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon
Evading arrest
Plus additional outstanding warrants
Investigators later confirmed Wilkerson had been hiding in the attic when officers entered - the attic floor simply couldn’t support his weight.
The U.S. Marshals Service released a statement calling the arrest “a successful conclusion to a dangerous fugitive search”, and emphasized that community cooperation helped narrow down his location.
Family members of the victim, Troy Cunningham, said they were relieved that Wilkerson had finally been found and hoped the arrest would begin the process of closure.
Wilkerson remains in custody awaiting trial.
