Angel Peralta, a 34-year-old Hispanic man from Panama City, Florida, was known to his loved ones as "Jr." or "Miami." His life was brought to a sudden and violent end during a dispute in the summer of 2023.
On the afternoon of Saturday, July 22, 2023, an argument between two neighbors on Maple Avenue in Scottsboro, Alabama, escalated into a fatal shooting. The Scottsboro Police Department received a call about the shooting around 1 p.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Angel Peralta had been shot. He was rushed to Highlands Medical Center, but he did not survive his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In the immediate aftermath, investigators identified a suspect in the shooting. Gerry Paul Kelley, a 62-year-old neighbor of Peralta's, was taken into custody.
Police reported that the shooting stemmed from an altercation between the two men. Kelley was arrested and charged with murder. He was subsequently booked into the Jackson County Jail.
The case concluded in February 2024 when Gerry Paul Kelley appeared in Jackson County Court. He pleaded guilty to the murder of Angel Peralta. Following his plea, Kelley was sentenced to 34 years in prison, with credit given for 193 days already served.
