Police Line Do Not Cross barricade is seen in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on July 28, 2026. The barrier sign restricts access to an area and displays a warning that the area is closed to the public. (Photo by Marcin Golba/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A Chicago man was charged with double murder while sitting in jail for a separate crime. This week, prosecutors presented their case to the court. Officials allege Anthony Nunnally fatally shot 17-year-old Gabriella Arellano and 19-year-old Sierra Evansabout a year apart from each other.
Anthony Nunnally, 21, allegedly shot both teens in two different East Side alleys. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Anthony allegedly shot Sierra Evans several times in September 2024. Police recovered her body on the 28th of that same month, around the 9500 block of South Avenue N. Prosecutors claimed in court that the 19-year-old and Nunnally had only been dating for about a month when she died.
On the night of her death, Evans, Anthony and two other people were drinking in a basement when things took a violent turn. The 21-year-old allegedly choked Evans after becoming angry with her and pinned her against a wall. He was kicked out of the residence after punching a hole in a wall. Sometime after, he called two people who were in the home, claiming he was on his way back. The witnesses heard several gunshots minutes before Nunnally appeared in the basement again. He was allegedly holding a gun and admitted to killing someone before throwing up a gang sign. The following day, Evans’ body was discovered with 18 shell casings next to her body. However, the motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
Meanwhile, Anthony Nunnally previously admitted his motive behind fatally shooting 17-year-old Gabriella Arellano in October 2025. While in jail for another charge, he spoke of the killing with a former member of the Latin Kings, per Chicago Sun-Times. Anthony is allegedly part of the same gang. When the conversation took place, the cellmate was allegedly wearing a wire, according to court testimony from Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara. Nunnally allegedly told his cellmate that he was worried his 17-year-old girlfriend was going to “backdoor him” by telling his rival gang his location.
Prosecutors cited surveillance video that shows the 21-year-old, Gabriella and another person at a restaurant on or around October 26, 2025. Afterward, they allegedly drove to a witness’ home, where additional video shows Anthony and another man checking out the street before returning to the vacant lot. Afterward, gunfire reportedly rang out. Gabriella’s body was found in that vacant lot with a gunshot to the head, per prosecutors. He allegedly told his cellmate, “When some b***h backdoor you, you gotta do what you gotta do.”Months before, he had allegedly threatened the 17-year-old by showing her a TV news clip of Sierra Evans’ memorial service and warning he’d do the same to her.
In both cases, Nunnally was the last person seen with the teens. He will sit behind bars on orders from Judge Deidre Dyer, as of Wednesday (August 5), until trial. As mentioned, the 21-year-old is charged with two counts of first-degree murders. Officials were already holding Anthony in Cook County Jail for a carjacking charge not related to the murders. That crime also happened last October, around the time of Gabriella Arellano’s shooting. He allegedly tried to steal a vehicle from his grade-school friend, prosecutors said Wednesday in court. Nunnally is due back in court on August 26, per PEOPLE.
“He is a stone-cold killer,” prosecutor Mike Pekara added. “This is not a scary story, its a fact.”
