Search Continues for Missing Oil City Man; Police Confirm Investigation Led to Meth Arrests

| January 16, 2018

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – The search for a missing Oil City man led to the recent arrests of two people in Sugarcreek.

According to Oil City Police, 34-year-old Daniel Kulling was last seen by family members at his residence on the night of December 23.

Oil City Police received the report on December 26.

Since that time, police, in conjunction with the Cherrytree Township Volunteer Fire Department’s K-9 Search and Rescue Unit, have conducted several searches of various areas – along with the cooperation of Kulling’s family.

There have also been private searches conducted by friends and family at various locations in the city.

Oil City Police have conducted several interviews and are continuing an ongoing investigation into Kulling’s disappearance.

In addition, the Kulling investigation led to the January 11 arrest of an Ohio woman, Deidra Rose Cunningham, of Medina, Ohio, and Timothy Geiger, 29, of Oil City.

Cunningham was charged with four felony offenses related to drug trafficking, including:

– Delivery of Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, or Cosmetic, Felony
– Person Not to Possess, Use, Etc. Firearm, Felony
– Firearms Not to Be Carried w/o License, Felony
– Criminal Conspiracy, Felony

She is being held in the Venango County Jail on $50,000.00 cash bail.

Her arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Geiger is being held in the Venango County Jail on $50,000.00 cash bail. He is behind on payments for court costs and fines related to a July 2016 conviction for theft by unlawful taking.

Police also anticipate filing charges against Geiger for drug possession.

On Monday, Oil City Police Chief Bob Wenner confirmed the two arrests did result as part of their investigation into Kulling’s disappearance.

An interview was conducted with a known male on December 30, 2017, at the Oil City Police Department. He told officers that Cunningham was bringing in large amounts of crystal methamphetamine from the Akron/Cleveland Ohio and that she is able to purchase meth at a cheap enough price that she could sell the drug in the Oil City area cheaper than any other drug dealer.

Further investigation into the related incidents indicated Cunningham stole a .380 caliber handgun from a known man while at a residence on Hoffman Avenue in Oil City.

Police conducted several interviews and others corroborated information relating to the drug activity conducted by Cunningham and of Cunningham possessing the .380 caliber firearm.

Through the course of the investigation, police also learned Cunningham was previously convicted of felony drug-trafficking charges in Ohio, this charge disqualifying Cunningham from possessing firearms in the state of Pennsylvania.

Based on information previously obtained, the Oil City Police, along with Sugarcreek Borough Police Department and agents of the Pennsylvania Probation and Parole, traveled to the Knights Inn in the Sugarcreek Borough and arrested both Cunningham and Geiger.

Both Cunningham and Geiger were arraigned before District Justice Andrew Fish.

Chief Wenner and his department continue to investigate Kulling’s disappearance.

He is described as 5-feet-5-inches tall, weighing 140 pounds with short blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information related to the disappearance of Kulling is asked to call Oil City Police at 814-678-3080.


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