Westchester Man Sentenced in 2nd Degree Murder Case

Mount Vernon resident Phillip Copeland, 29, was sentenced today to 20 years to life in prison in connection with the December 2014 killing of Jlynn Reeves, 37, at the Levister Towers apartment complex in the city.

According to Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, Copeland pleaded guilty in August to:

• 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.

The murder occurred on December 12, 2014, just before 10 p.m. Copeland was standing in the lobby of Levister Towers in Mount Vernon, when Reeves walked into the lobby.

Surveillance video showed the two in a heated exchange of words for approximately two minutes, according to DiFiore. While still arguing, Copeland is shown walking off towards a stairwell that leads to the basement. Reeves followed him, and both men became out of range of the video camera.

“Within 30 seconds the security guard hears gunshots and immediately calls his supervisor on a walkie-talkie,” according to DiFiore. “The supervisor calls 911 and the defendant is seen hurriedly walking back into the building.”

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.

Roughly an hour and a half later, Copeland exits an apartment on the first floor at which point a detective recognizes him from the video. He is stopped and questioned, and detectives ask him to unzip his jacket.

“They see a distinctive sweatshirt he was wearing in the video,” according to DiFiore, who adds that Copeland is then patted down and a loaded .380 caliber automatic pistol was found in one of Copeland’s socks, and he is arrested. 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.

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

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