Mother of teenage school shooter testifies against her estranged husband Colin Gray
Colin Gray appears in court for his trial in Winder
By Eric Levenson, CNN
(CNN) — Marcee Gray, the mother of teen school shooter Colt Gray, took the stand Monday to testify as a prosecution witness in the murder trial of her estranged husband, Colin Gray.
Her testimony is likely to focus on some of the intimate details of what Colin Gray knew about their son and what he did about that knowledge. Defense attorneys are expected to cross-examine her about her past legal trouble and struggles with addiction.
Marcee’s mother – the shooter’s grandmother – testified on Friday, saying Colin Gray bought his son an AR15-style rifle as a Christmas gift nine months before the shooting and left the gun in Colt’s room, even though they knew about his mental health struggles.
The testimony has offered insights into the tumultuous home life of Colt Gray, who, in September 2024 at age 14, brought that rifle to Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, and opened fire. Four people were killed and nine were injured, before he surrendered to police.
Prosecutors allege Colin Gray bought Colt the rifle despite previous warnings that his son was a danger to others, actions that constitute criminally reckless conduct. His defense attorney said in opening statements Colin Gray was unaware his son was planning the shooting and had taken steps to try to get him help.
He has pleaded not guilty to nearly 30 charges, including two counts each of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Colin Gray’s trial is part of a broader push to hold more people accountable for a school shooting, including the shooter’s parents and responding law enforcement officers. This case bears close similarities to the trials of James and Jennifer Crumbley, whose then-15-year-old son killed four students in 2021 at his high school in Oxford, Michigan.
The trial began last week and has featured emotional testimony from students and teachers who survived the shooting, police interviews with Colin Gray, Colt Gray’s spotty school attendance records and photos showing unsecured firearms and ammo in Colin Gray’s home.
What we know about Marcee Gray
In opening statements, prosecutors said Marcee Gray went into Colt Gray’s room to try to take away his rifle, but Colt shoved her to the ground. She then asked Colin Gray to take the rifle away from the teen and lock up the firearm, but he didn’t do so, according to prosecutors.
Marcee Gray has said she received a concerning text from Colt Gray on the morning of the shooting and called the school to ask them to check on him. By the time the school found him, he had already opened fire, killing four people and wounding nine others.
The defense said in opening statements they planned to challenge Marcee Gray’s credibility, noting her legal problems.
According to court records, Marcee Gray, now 44, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to criminal damage to property, criminal trespass-family violence and use of a license plate to conceal identity. She told CNN she was incarcerated from November 2023 to April 2024 and then spent three months in rehab.
The defense also alleged Colt Gray had told his mother that he had sent commissary money to Nikolas Cruz, the imprisoned Florida school shooter, but Marcee did not share that information with Colin Gray, the school or police.
A week after the shooting, Marcee Gray issued an open letter apologizing to the parents and families of those affected by the shooting.
“We are all in a living nightmare right now, and I will personally never forgive myself for what has happened,” she wrote. “My son Colt is not a monster. He is my oldest baby. He is quiet, thoughtful, caring, funny, and extremely intelligent. Please pray for him and the rest of our family, as I am praying for all of you every moment of every day.”
Colt Gray has admitted to the shooting, according to authorities. Now 16, he has pleaded not guilty to 55 felony counts, including four counts of malice murder. A trial date has not been set.
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