Man shot to death in Bridgeport owned $100 in Rent

RIDGEPORT -- Daniel Speller, the city's 16th homicide victim this year, may have been killed for back rent, police said.

James Cunningham, who was arraigned Tuesday at the Golden Hill Street courthouse in connection with Speller's slaying, is accused of fatally shooting the 32-year-old father for $100 in rent that he said was owed.

Cunningham, 41, a part-time electrician and carpenter, is charged with murder and illegally disposing of a body.

"There is nothing to say, what can we say?" said Speller's sister as she and other family left the courtroom.

During the arraignment hearing, Superior Court Judge Eddie Rodriguez Jr. ordered Cunningham held in lieu of $1 million bond and continued the case to Aug. 21.

Speller, an employee of Hearst Media Services, was fatally shot early Monday on the front porch of his home on Worth Street.

According to the police report, Cunningham, Speller's landlord, had confronted Speller about owing the back rent. During the dispute Cunningham pulled out a gun and shot Speller, the report said.

Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/policereports/article/P...

Bridgeport*

Speller was a great man and was well like by his
co-workers at the Post. He will be miss by them and his other friends and family member. The killer should spent the rest of his worthless life in jail.

So, first I hear they lived together AND worked together... then different addresses are reported... then its reported that they had different lines of work. Then the sum of money owed turns out to be paltry.... this sounds much more like an impulse crime. Also, they keep saying the body was in a basket on the back of the truck, then they say inside the truck.... I guess if you throw in lots of typos, you know you're reading the CT Post!!

My good friend, Citizen is total confused. God bless him and the man who was killed. I have no mercy for the killer. Let him rot in jail.

American Gentleman Samuel wrote:

My good friend, Citizen is total confused. God bless him and the man who was killed. I have no mercy for the killer. Let him rot in jail.

I agree...and had the nerve the other day to say I was smoking "Dust" I didn't know what he was referring to but goggled it and I believe he may have been smoking PCP himself since he know so much about the street name!!!! Anyways R.I.P. to the victim!!!__

I have the same feeling with my good friend, Awake11. Good night friend.

R.I.P NuNu

I hope he gets life in a jail he was a good kid if you went to school with him and grew up with him you know of him well he didn't deserve to die over no money damn!!!!!!!!!! people is so harsh and cruel these dayz.I hope the shooter rotte in jail let the table turn on him

R.I.P. NUNU

My family agree with the great comments of #9. Read #3.