Westchester Man Pleads Guilty to 2nd Degree Murder

Mount Vernon resident Phillip Copeland, 29, pleaded guilty today to the killing of Jlynn Reeves, 37, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced.

Copeland was accused of shooting Reeves in December of last year, and he pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a class “A” Felony and
• one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class “C” Felony.

According to DiFiore, on Dec. 12 at approximately 9:54 pm, Copeland was standing in the lobby of Levister Towers in Mount Vernon when Reeves walked into the lobby, according to DiFiore.

A video surveillance camera records the two in a heated exchange of words for approximately 2 minutes.

While still arguing, the two move into a nearby basement stairwell, out of camera range, and “within 30 seconds the security guard hears gunshots and immediately calls his supervisor on a walkie-talkie.” The supervisor calls 911 and Copeland is seen “hurriedly walking back into the building.”

According to DiFiore, when police arrive they discover Reeves body at the bottom of the basement stairs surrounded by several spent shell casings. The security guard showed detectives the video.

At approximately 11:29 pm the defendant exits an apartment on the first floor at which point a detective recognizes him from the video.

Copeland is stopped and questioned. Detectives ask him to unzip his jacket. They see a distinctive sweatshirt he was wearing in the video. Copeland is then patted down. A loaded .380 caliber automatic pistol was found secreted in Copeland’s sock. Ballistic analysis later determined it to be the murder weapon.

An autopsy of Reeves revealed that he died from gunshot wounds to the neck, chest, abdomen, liver, spleen and kidney.

Copeland is currently remanded at the Westchester County Jail, and he is due to be sentenced on Sept. 15. He faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Julia Cornachio of the Superior Court Trial Division is prosecuting the case.

Photo: Phillip Copeland. Photo credit: Westchester County District Attorney’s office