Ivana Hrynkiw | ihrynkiw@al.com
A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for fatally shooting his friend inside his Hoover home nearly four years ago.
Cody Allen Pike pleaded guilty to murder in December and was sentenced Tuesday by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Laura Petro to 20 years in prison, split with three years to serve. Following his release from prison, Pike was ordered to serve two years on probation.
Tommy Spina represented Pike, and Deputy District Attorney Shawn Allen prosecuted the case.
In October 2016 during a Stand Your Ground hearing, Pike testified he was acting in self defense when he shot Ryan Alexander Moore after a night of drinking on March 21, 2015.
Pike said on the night of March 20, he and 30-year-old Moore went to several bars. He said Moore, a co-worker of his, did not have a car or a driver’s license. Moore lived in Childersburg, and often stayed with Pike at his Hoover condominium so he could have transportation.
After visiting three bars on the night of the shooting, Pike said the two stopped at McDonald's and then went to his condo. Pike said when the men were walking into Pike's condo, Moore grabbed Pike from behind and began to choke him.
Moore let go, Pike said, so he drove to a nearby gas station to calm down. When Pike returned, Moore was still at the apartment and an argument ensued. Pike said Moore attacked him and there were several weapons in the condo within Moore’s reach. "I pulled out my gun and just started pulling the trigger," Pike said. Moore was shot multiple times in the chest, eye, and torso. He also had abrasions across his body.
Police said on the 911 call, Pike yelled, "They broke in--they attacked me!" and "Just get the paramedics here," multiple times. Pike didn't answer the operator's question if he knew the person he claimed had broken into the house.
Petro didn’t dismiss the case after the Stand Your Ground hearing. Alabama adopted ‘Stand Your Ground’ provisions to its self-defense laws, eliminating the duty to retreat from situations as long as the person defending themselves is not doing something unlawful. Lawmakers also added a provision that said a person who is justified using force, including deadly physical force, "is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless the force was determined to be unlawful."
Spina said, "The events leading up to the death of Alex Moore didn’t need to happen, however when guns and alcohol are involved anything can happen. Unfortunately a life was lost that didn’t need to be and Cody is paying the consequences of prison. There are too many guns readily accessible to too many people and there were that night." He continued, "All the facts were analyzed by the judge, the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Supreme Court of Alabama and the sentence imposed was appropriate in light of those facts. Cody accepted responsibility for his actions from day one and has apologized to the family for their loss he ask for their forgiveness and is reminded everyday that he took the life of his best friend-- something he will live with forever. This was a very tragic event for all parties involved."
