Who is Cy E Alley? Indiana man sentenced to life in prison for gunning down old neighbor who he believed was 'hacking his network'
ALBANY, INDIANA: A 30-year-old Indiana man will reportedly spend the rest of his days behind bars for murdering his 59-year-old neighbor “like a predator chasing his prey” because he believed the victim was “hacking his network.”
On Monday, October 16, Delaware Circuit Court Senior Judge Marianne L Vorhees ordered Cy E Alley to serve a sentence of 70 years in a state correctional facility for the August 2022 slaying of Gerald Lee Copley.
The jury needed only 20 minutes of deliberation to find Cy E Alley guilty
According to a press release from the Office of the Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney, a jury needed only about 20 minutes of deliberation last month before finding Alley guilty on one count of murder as well as a sentencing enhancement for using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The jury sentenced Alley particularly to 60 years for Copley’s murder plus an additional 10 years on the firearm enhancement.
“During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors evidence indicating that on August 23, 2022, Alley shot Copley two times with a 12 gauge shotgun, reloaded, and shot Copley two more times,” prosecutors wrote in the release.
“When imposing sentence, the Court noted the sheer brutality of Alley’s acts, including shooting the victim twice, reloading his shot gun and ‘much like a predator chasing his prey’ the defendant walked up to the victim and shot him two more times,” the prosecutors added.
When did the authorities learn about the incident?
On August 23, 2022, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an emergency call at a residence located in the 12000 block of E 500 N Road in Albany, Indiana regarding a reported shooting.
The first responders, upon arriving at the scene, found the victim, later identified as Copley, who seemed to be shot “multiple times” and was “laying up against his house.”
A spent 12-gauge shotgun shell was also recovered from the scene, Law and Crime reports.
What did the affidavit state?
“The 911 caller, who shall be identified as Witness 1, stated that Witness 1 was out for a walk when they observed a black Ford F250 in the driveway of the victim’s house. Witness 1 states that they saw Cy Alley, shoot Gary Copley with what looked like a rifle multiple times, and then get into his black F250 and drive back to his residence,” the affidavit states.
“Cy Alley then left shortly after and went to the east. An additional Witness who shall be identified as Witness 2 went to check on Gary and stated that he was deceased. Witness 2 said that Cy drove back past him going east at a high rate of speed from his residence at 12220 E 500 N, in the black Ford F250,” the affidavit adds.
When was Cy E Alley located?
Alley was located a short while later and taken into custody by the DCSO SWAT team without incident. An unspent shotgun shell was recovered by the authorities which they said was similar to the one recovered from the Copley crime scene.
Alley signed a waiver before an interview with deputies where he stated that he wished to provide a voluntary statement, as per the affidavit.
“Cy said that he has been having trouble with his electricity at his house, and he assumed that the victim was hacking into his network. Cy said that he went over to Gary Copley’s residence to confront him,” the affidavit states.
“Gary and Cy were outside in Gary’s driveway. Cy said that he exited his truck with a Winchester 12 gauge pump shotgun and shot Gary 4 times with the intent to kill him. Cy said that the gun he used to kill Gary Copley, was in the back of his black Ford F250, which was later located by Detectives," the affidavit adds.
Cy E Alley 'was not remorseful for his actions'
“Cy Alley will have now been held accountable for brutally executing Gary Copley in his own driveway. Although nothing can bring Gary Copley back, it is my sincere hope that this will be the first step in the healing process for Gary’s family and friends,” Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Hoffman said in a statement.
“Additionally make no mistake about it, Cy Alley is a very dangerous individual and I have no doubt that the sentences in this case will ensure that he will not be out and about committing more violent crime," Hoffman added.
