Smith Township man pleads guilty to third-degree murder for killing neighbor
Fatally shot victim as he was cutting grass on his riding lawnmower
The Smith Township man who shot and killed his neighbor who was cutting his grass on a riding mower nearly four years ago pleaded guilty to a lesser murder charge and was immediately sentenced to prison.
Bryce Tacy Sr., 56, appeared Monday morning at the Washington County Courthouse for what was supposed to be a routine status conference in the May 25, 2022, shooting of his neighbor, 44-year-old Jerry E. Anderson, following an ongoing feud over the years.
But instead, Tacy accepted a deal from prosecutors to plead guilty to third-degree murder in exchange for a 20-to-40-year prison sentence formally imposed by President Judge Valarie Costanzo at the hearing.
Tacy and Anderson were both outside doing yardwork in their Loffert Road neighborhood near Midway when an argument ensued. Tacy pulled out a gun and fired two shots at Anderson while he was on his riding mower before approaching and firing four more shots. Witnesses said Anderson could be seen slumped over on his riding lawnmower, but medical aid was unable to reach him for two hours as Tacy held police at bay while inside his house during a standoff before he surrendered without incident.
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said they consulted with Anderson’s family, who agreed to the plea deal. While there had been disagreements between the two men for about eight years – such as how yardwork was done or Anderson’s use of an aerial drone in the neighborhood – Walsh said the victim did not initiate a confrontation the day he was killed.
“There were issues for a while,” Walsh said. “I don’t necessarily know there was a feud (from the victim’s perspective). But the defendant had issues. I don’t think there was anything done by the victim to substantiate it.”
Walsh said Tacy’s age could mean the 20-to-40-year prison term ends up becoming a life sentence.
Tacy, who has been jailed without bond since the day of the shooting, will be given credit for time served. He will soon be taken to a state prison for processing before a decision is made on the permanent facility where he’ll serve his sentence. His public defender, Patrick Fitch, could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.