Home / Crime and Justice / Arrest Made in Murder of Young Mother and Baby
Arrest Made in Murder of Young Mother and Baby
18 Sep
Summary
- An 18-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn child were killed.
- The suspect, Tyjeir Williams-Cunningham, faces multiple homicide charges.
- Family mourns Ja'el Torres, a recent high school graduate.
An arrest was made in Clairton for the shooting death of 18-year-old Ja'el Torres and her unborn child. Police responded on July 13 to reports of a pregnant woman who had been shot multiple times. Ja'el and her unborn baby were pronounced dead less than an hour later.
Detectives recovered shell casings, guns, and ammunition from the crime scene. A man, Calid Pettiford, who was also shot that day and listed in critical condition, provided an interview but refused to name his assailant. Investigators identified the suspect as 21-year-old Tyjeir Williams-Cunningham.
Williams-Cunningham was taken into custody and faces charges including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and criminal homicide of an unborn child. Family gathered on August 1, on what would have been her baby shower, to release lanterns in memory of Ja'el, a recent high school graduate described as loved, pure-hearted, and having a life ahead of her.
