Man convicted of sexual abusing two victims and sentenced to multiple life sentences:

This afternoon, a Walton County jury found Skippy Lee Cospy (now 67 years old) guilty in three separate cases being tried together. The jury convicted Cospy of the following:

• Rape, Aggravated Sodomy, two counts of Incest, Aggravated Sexual Battery, and Sexual Battery in a case involving a victim who is a special needs adult.  

• Family Violence Battery of the same victim.

• Rape involving a separate victim, who was a 12-years-old at the time of the abuse.

The investigation began in March 2022 when the Monroe Police Department (MPD) responded to a domestic dispute. Officers learned that the Defendant had struck the victim. The Defendant was arrested for Family Violence Battery. About a month later, the victim disclosed that she had been sexually abused by the victim over a period of time.

Skippy Lee Cospy

Coincidently, the day after the victim was forensically interviewed, the Defendant contacted MPD about him trying to get his vehicle back from a family member. The following day he voluntarily went to the police department to speak with investigators. He eventually made numerous admissions regarding sexual contact with this victim.

When investigators asked him if anyone else would know about his actions with the victim, the Defendant brought up the other victim. Investigators then looked into another victim. She disclosed sexual assaults that occurred when she was as young as 12 years old.

After hearing the evidence of all the incidents, the jury returned a verdict in under 30 minutes. The Court then proceeded to a sentencing hearing. One victim and the other victim’s family testified during sentencing about how these crimes have affected them. The Defendant made a statement claiming that he did nothing wrong. The Court then sentenced the Defendant to two consecutive life sentences with 112 years in prison to run as the same time as the life sentences.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Lacey Majors, Victim Services Director Kim Kelly, Investigator Melindy White, and Senior Legal Melanie Sims.

90 Years Without Parole for Man Convicted of Trafficking/Distributing Deadly Drugs:

Friday, October 17, a Newton County jury returned a verdict finding Loyd Freeman Avant, III guilty of Trafficking Heroin, Trafficking Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Carfentanil. Based on an ongoing investigation into Avant distributing large amounts of narcotics from his residence on Highway 212 in Newton County, the DEA obtained a search warrant for Avant’s residence. Agents found over 150 grams (over 5 ounces) of methamphetamine, 163 grams (about 5.75 ounces) of heroin, and 865 grams (about 30.5 ounces, almost a kilo) of carfentanil, numerous firearms, over seventy thousand dollars in cash, a money counter, digital scales, and ledgers of drug activity.

Avant was interviewed, after acknowledging his Miranda rights, Avant told Agents that the drugs, cash, and paraphernalia in the house was his. He went on to tell Agents that if they had come on a different day that he would have had more drugs at the house. He further told Agents that sent a juvenile to deliver drugs to a purchaser’s car.

Loyd Avant

On Wednesday, just before jury selection, Avant informed the Court that he wished to fire his defense attorney and represent himself at trial. After hearing from multiple DEA Agents and chemists, the jury deliberated for only 5 minutes before indicating they had reached a verdict. After announcing the guilty verdict in court late Friday afternoon, the Court set sentencing for this morning.

At the sentencing hearing, the State presented evidence of the Defendant’s criminal history. Because the Defendant had three prior felony convictions, the State asked that the Court treat Avant as a recidivist, meaning any confinement portion of the sentence would be served without being eligible for parole or early release.

The State pointed out that the drugs involved in this case are some of the worst in terms of negative impact on our society. In 2023, approximately 47,000 people died from firearm deaths, including both homicides and suicides. But, about 105,000 people died that year from drug overdoses. The public is generally aware of fentanyl and the deadly epidemic that has come about over the last decade due to its proliferation. Carfentanil is, however, less widely known. This drug is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and about 10,000 times more potent than morphine. This synthetic opioid was first manufactured as a tranquilizer for large animals, such as elephants.

Now, like fentanyl, carfentanil is used in the illicit drug trade to mix with other substances, such as heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit prescription pills, to increase the apparent strength of those drugs. This means that many individuals may unknowingly ingest this deadly drug. It is also extremely dangerous to first responders and medical personnel, as accidental exposure through skin contact or inhalation can be deadly.

After hearing arguments from both the State and the Defendant, Superior Court Judge Morris sentenced the Defendant to the maximum possible sentence allowed by law: 90 years in confinement without parole. The Court also imposed fines totaling $800,000 as mandated by statute based on the weight of each drug.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Brooks, Investigator Danny Peppers, Trial Assistant Danielle Miller, and Legal Assistant Sheila Cornelius.

After the verdict and sentencing, District Attorney Randy McGinley stated, “This verdict and sentence should be an example to those that attempt to make a living by selling poison in our communities. The amount of harm that these drugs inflict every day throughout our country cannot be overstated. Those arrested and brought to court for distributing drugs like this will continue to face harsh consequences in the Alcovy Judicial Circuit. The prosecution team did an excellent job in holding Mr. Avant accountable for his actions. I am grateful for the work of the DEA Agents in investigating serious drug activity in Newton County. Additionally, I want to thank the DEA chemists who had to fly in from another state for trial, despite the logically difficulties of doing so during a federal government shut down.”

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit

Mother pleads guilty and is sentenced in hot car death of 13 month old daughter

Yesterday, October 17, 2025, Ariel Jamiyla Osbey (pictured) pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder and Making a False Statement to relation to the October 10, 2023 death of Imani Osbey, who was thirteen months old at the time.

On that day, the Defendant, 29 years old at the time, travelled to a Newton County residence to provide house cleaning services. She brought Imani with her but chose to leave her in the vehicle while she went into the home. The Defendant was in the home for approximately 5 hours while Imani remained in the vehicle in a rear facing car seat. After finishing her work at the residence, the Defendant got into her vehicle and left the neighborhood.

Ariel Osbey

The Defendant travelled a short distance before calling 911 telling the operator that she was on the side of the road and that her daughter was nonresponsive. When deputies arrived she told them that her daughter had been sick and that she was traveling on Highway 162 when she noticed that Imani was not making any sounds or breathing. Imani was transported to Piedmont Newton where her internal temperature was noted to be 107 degrees. Imani was soon pronounced dead from hyperthermia.

While on scene, deputies noted that the inside of the Defendant’s vehicle was extremely hot with hot air blowing from the vents. Investigators located Imani’s zip-up hoodie on the floorboard of the vehicle and noted that it was very damp when touched.

Imani Osbey

The Defendant went to the hospital with Imani and was interviewed there by Newton County Sheriff’s Office investigators. The Defendant told investigators that Imani had gone into the home with her. However, Investigators obtained surveillance footage from the residence that clearly showed this was not true. The same camera, which, like most surveillance cameras, is motion activated, did not show the Defendant coming out of the house to check on Imani at all.

A Newton County Grand Jury indicted Ms. Osbey on December 1, 2023. The case then proceeded through the court system with a significant amount of time waiting on the completion of a court ordered (at the defense request) mental health evaluation of the Defendant.

On October 17, 2025, the Defendant entered a non-negotiated guilty plea. Such a plea means that both the State and the defense provide the Court with their recommended sentence and argument for the appropriateness of their position. The court then sentences the defendant as allowed by law.

During the sentencing hearing the Court heard from both sides including witnesses on behalf of the Defendant and the Defendant, herself. The defense asked the Court to sentence her to only 10 years on probation. The Court sentenced the Defendant to 35 years with the first 20 years in prison with the remainder on probation. Once released from custody, the Defendant may not have unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 16 and must obtain mental health treatment.

Second Degree Murder, in Georgia, ONLY applies when a defendant causes the death of a child under the age of 18 through the commission of Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree. That offense is committed when someone with criminal negligence causes cruel or excessive physical or mental pain to a child. Therefore, Second Degree Murder is essentially causing the death of a child through criminal negligence, not with malice or intentionally.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Evan Hansinger, Chief Investigator Kelly Whire, Senior Victim Advocate Shay Payne, Trial Assistant Ellen Bales, and Legal Assistant Lila Geiger. The investigation was handled by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from local EMS, Piedmont Newton Hospital, and the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.

Any death of a child is heartbreaking. Imani’s death was not only preventable, but also criminal. The Defendant chose to leave her 13-month-old child in a hot car for hours. Sadly, a short internet search will show that this still occurs far too often. I hope this case will serve as a reminder to anyone reading this to never let this happen.

I want to commend the first responders who responded to a call involving the death of a child and the prosecution and investigators that handled the case. They have an incredibly hard job and situations like this will be something they will never forget.

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit