Barrow County jury hears closing arguments in Colin Gray trial

Caption

Colin Gray looks on at a photo of Colt Gray with a collage of school shooter Nicholas Cruz.

This is a developing story. 

Attorneys made their closing arguments in an unprecedented court case Monday afternoon in the Barrow County trial of Colin Gray, the father of suspected Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray.

Both sides made their cases one final time to a jury from neighboring Hall County.

Now, jurors are left to decide whether Gray is guilty or not guilty of more than two dozen charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. They could also find Gray guilty of lesser charges.

Prosecutor Patricia Brooks outlined why Gray is facing those specific charges, and why the jury should find him guilty.

"That man was the one person who could have prevented this mass shooting," she said. "He was the man who ensured that Colt Gray had the tools he needed to commit mass murder."

It’s unclear when the jury may return their verdict, or when Gray would be sentenced if he’s found guilty.

 Over the past two weeks, the jury heard evidence that Gray ignored his son’s mental health problems and was criminally negligent by allowing him to possess a firearm. 

Prosecutors presented dozens of hours of testimony and hundreds of pieces of evidence, in support of their argument that Gray’s negligence played a crucial role in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School of which his son Colt is accused.

Prosecutor Patricia Brooks questioned Barrow County Investigator Ashley Gilleland on an extensive chronological timeline of phone records, bank statements, and Google search data.

"In the defendant's financial records, are there any corresponding purchases for gun safes?" Brooks asked. "No," Gilleland said.

When Brooks asked, "Were there any gun-related purchases or accessories?" Gilleland said, "Yes."

Later, the state presented security camera footage from inside the school during the shooting.

Colin Gray began to sob as the jury viewed the video evidence.

On Friday, Colin Gray took the stand in his own defense. He said he had a trusting relationship with Colt and had no idea he would, or even could commit a school shooting.

“I don't know if anybody could ever see that kind of evil," Gray said. "The Colt I knew, the relationship I had, there's this whole other side of Colt I didn't know existed.” 

Colin Gray has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of reckless conduct, and eighteen counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Two counts of cruelty to children were removed after final deliberations on Monday.