INDIANAPOLIS — When Eric Copeland was sentenced to 40 years in prison last month, it brought some measure of justice to the family of Greg Raley, the man he fatally shot outside of a Cumberland Dollar General store in 2018.
Copeland, now 18, is among a wave of more than a dozen youths in Marion County who have faced murder charges in adult court in recent years.Copeland pleaded guilty in August to robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and a felony firearms sentencing enhancement. In exchange, prosecutors dropped murder charges.
Prosecutors first charged Copeland with murder and robbery in juvenile court. A judge later waived his case to the adult court. He pleaded guilty in August to robbery causing serious bodily injury. Under terms of the agreement, Copeland was sentenced to 40 years in prison and prosecutors dismissed the murder charges.
"With this resolution the defendant serves a significant sentence and accepted accountability for his actions that led to the tragic death of Gregory Raley," Leffler said.