Benjamin Cunningham

Benjamin Allen “Ben” Cunningham, a 28-year-old white male known for his many skills and deep love for his children, was a man of many passions. Born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, on December 26, 1991, Ben was the eldest son of Timothy and Cathy Cunningham and a brother to four siblings. He grew up in the church, attending New Hope Primitive Baptist Church where his father served as pastor. After graduating from Lawrence County High School in 2010, he worked in various fields, including food service, construction, and factory jobs. Friends and family remembered him as a talented, self-taught guitar player, an artist who enjoyed drawing, a writer, and a cook. Above all, he was a devoted and loving father to his three children: daughters Ariana and Sylvia, and son London. His children were described as his entire world.

The early morning hours of May 28, 2020, brought a violent end to Ben’s life. At approximately 3:45 a.m., officers from the Lawrenceburg Police Department responded to reports of gunfire at the Lawrence Landing Apartments on Oak Street. Inside one of the units, they discovered the bodies of Ben Cunningham and a second victim, 38-year-old Corie J. Williams. Both men had been shot and were pronounced deceased at the scene in what was determined to be a double homicide.

The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect. Evidence collected by detectives at the apartment complex pointed to 22-year-old Sebastian Arzadon of Summertown. Arzadon had fled the scene on foot, prompting a search. Later that same morning, around 11:00 a.m., authorities located him hiding in a drainage ditch near Howard Street and took him into custody without incident. Investigators stated at the time that the motive for the killings was believed to be drug-related.

Following his arrest, Arzadon was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, especially aggravated burglary, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was held at the Lawrence County Jail on a $4.2 million bond. The investigation continued, and on June 3, 2020, detectives arrested a second individual in connection with the murders. Reneisha L. Wiley, 27, of Lawrenceburg, was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. She was held without bond.

Legal proceedings brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims. Sebastian Arzadon ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. For the murder of Benjamin Cunningham, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the murder of Corie Williams, he received a sentence of life with the possibility of parole.

In the days following his death, Ben's family received friends at Neal Funeral Home, where a service was held on June 2, 2020, before his interment at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens. His obituary remembered him as a nephew, cousin, and friend to many, a man who treasured the bond with the mothers of his children. The family suggested memorial contributions be made to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, reflecting a life that, while marked by diverse interests and deep family love, was cut tragically short.