Cy E. Alley, inset (via Delaware County (Ind.) Sheriff’s Office), and the home where he fatally shot his neighbor (via YouTube screengrab/WTHR).
A 30-year-old man in Indiana will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing his 59-year-old neighbor, gunning the older man down “like a predator chasing his prey” because he believed the victim was “hacking his network.”
Delaware Circuit Court Senior Judge Marianne L. Vorhees on Monday 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, authorities announced.
According to a press release from the Office of the Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney, a jury last month needed only about 20 minutes of deliberation 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. Specifically, Vorhees sentenced Alley 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.”
Authorities provided additional details in a probable cause affidavit filed in connection with the shooting.
Deputies with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 23, 2022, 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. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located the victim — later identified as Copley — who appeared to have been shot “multiple times” and was “laying up against his house.” A spent 12-gauge shotgun shell was also recovered from the scene.
“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.”
Alley was located a short while later and taken into custody by the DCSO SWAT team without incident. Deputies recovered an unspent shotgun shell on his person which they said was similar to the one recovered from the Copley crime scene.
Prior to an interview with deputies, Alley signed a waiver stating he wished to provide a voluntary statement, 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.
Police also noted that Alley “was not remorseful for his actions.”
“Cy Alley will has 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.”
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