GOSHEN – DoorDash shooter John Reilly III was convicted by a jury Thursday afternoon in Orange County Court on two counts of felony assault and eight counts of criminal possession of a firearm for shooting food delivery driver Alpha Barry as he drove away from his Town of Chester home last May.
Reilly was found not guilty on one of the 14 counts he faced, first-degree intentional assault, meaning he was not convicted of attempted murder. He now faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Craig Brown on May 18. After the verdict, Brown remanded Reilly to Orange County Jail without bail.
Reilly remained stoic as the verdicts were read just after 4 p.m., appearing to hold back tears before being handcuffed by court officers. At one point, as guilty verdict after guilty verdict was announced, Reilly’s mother covered her eyes with her hands.
“This defendant’s depraved indifference to human life was appalling and nearly resulted in the death of an innocent man,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “We can see firsthand the consequences of the use of dangerous firearms by an individual who had no business possessing a gun. I commend the dedication of the police and prosecutors assigned to the case, whose thorough efforts resulted in this just outcome. I hope that the victim can continue to heal from the grievous wounds caused by this defendant’s crimes. I will reiterate that, as a community, we will not stand idly by and allow for the victimization of the voiceless at the hands of the emboldened.”
Reilly, 48, has served as the Town of Chester’s highway superintendent since 2021. Town Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said Thursday night that, under state law, Reilly will have to vacate his position following the felony conviction. Holdridge said he hopes to have an interim highway superintendent in place within about a week.
Reilly’s attorney, Thomas Kenniff, said he plans to appeal the verdict.
“This is a lot to take in, and nobody wants to be in this position,” Kenniff said. “But we strongly feel that the depraved indifference charge, which the jury did convict on, should not have been in this indictment. It should not have been presented to the jury. The definition of depraved indifference goes beyond anything that took place in this case. It is a charge that has been repeatedly challenged in the highest courts in the state, including the New York State Court of Appeals.”
Under state law, depraved indifference refers to a person’s state of mind in recklessly engaging in conduct that creates a grave risk of death, including conduct that is wanton, morally deficient, and devoid of regard for the lives of others.
“We do believe that there are some very pronounced legal issues pertaining to the charge,” Kenniff added.
Barry, 24, a native of Guinea, was lost and his phone battery had died when he walked up to Reilly’s home on Valerie Drive on May 2, 2025, carrying a bag of food and asking if Reilly had placed the order.
Reilly told him to leave. As Barry attempted to drive away, Reilly came out of his house with a .45-caliber Glock pistol and fired a round into the front lawn, then fired two more shots. One round pierced the vehicle and struck Barry in the lower back, causing serious injuries.
Barry underwent emergency surgery, during which more than two feet of his small intestine were removed. A search warrant executed at Reilly’s home led to the recovery of .45-caliber casings in the kitchen and front lawn, the projectile from the lawn, a shoulder holster and loaded Glock, and seven additional illegally possessed pistols.
Police said that although Reilly held a federal firearms license to sell guns, he did not have a New York State pistol permit and therefore could not lawfully possess them.
“This verdict does not surprise me, and Reilly should have been convicted,” said attorney Rudyard White, of the Cochran Law Firm, who represents Barry in a civil lawsuit against Reilly and the Town of Chester. “He came out of his house looking to shoot someone. He came out guns blazing with a shoulder strap on. It was uncalled for, and he put Alpha’s life in jeopardy.”
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