In a tragic and disturbing series of events, Marcee Gray, the mother of a teenager charged with a horrific school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, now finds herself facing a separate, yet equally shocking, set of criminal charges.
As if the devastation caused by her son’s actions wasn’t enough, Marcee’s own legal troubles add another layer to this heartbreaking story. According to local reports, she is accused of physically abusing her 73-year-old mother, Deborah Polhamus, just months before the deadly shooting spree that took four lives, including two students and two teachers.
Marcee, 43, was indicted on charges of elder abuse after allegedly tying her mother to a chair for almost 24 hours, stealing her phone, and damaging her home. The incident, which took place in November, is as strange as it is alarming. Apparently, Marcee wanted her mother to accompany her in confronting her ex-husband, Colin Gray, who is also the father of her son, Colt Gray, the accused shooter. When Polhamus refused, things took a dark turn. Marcee allegedly used tape to restrain her mother to a chair, damaging the property and even throwing her against a wall, leaving her injured.
Despite the severity of the assault, Polhamus told police she didn’t want her daughter to face felony charges, likely an attempt to preserve their relationship despite the violent altercation. However, the law took its course, and Marcee was arrested in December, later posting bond in April. Now, she faces serious charges, including elder exploitation, false imprisonment, and criminal property damage.
Mother of Colt Gray 14, GA student charged in the Apalachee HS shooting. On Mon, a grand jury indicted Marcee Gray, 43, in a domestic violence case involving her mother in 2023. Charges of exploiting, intimidating a disabled person or elderly, false imprisonment, theft. 🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/COWe2YV8YI
— Sumner (@renmusb1) September 22, 2024
But Marcee’s legal problems don’t stop there. The real headline-grabber, of course, is her connection to the tragic Apalachee High School shooting on September 4, where her son, Colt, is accused of gunning down 11 people, leaving four dead and others injured. Colt, 15, allegedly smuggled an AR-15-style rifle into the school, concealed in his backpack. Once inside, he carried out the senseless attack, fatally shooting students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Marcee Gray, although not directly involved in the shooting, expressed her guilt and heartbreak in an open letter to the victims’ families, stating that she wished she could have taken the place of those who lost their lives. In the aftermath of the massacre, she revealed that she had tried to warn school officials after receiving a disturbing text from her son the morning of the attack. “I’m sorry, Mom,” was Colt’s final message to her, hinting at his intentions just moments before the shooting began. Colt’s father, Colin Gray, also received similar texts from his son. However, these warnings came too late to prevent the tragedy.
Adding to the complexity of this tragic situation, Colt’s father, Colin, is now facing his own charges. Authorities have accused him of knowingly allowing Colt access to the weapon used in the attack. He faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, becoming the first parent of a school shooter to be charged in Georgia. This indictment highlights the growing recognition of parental responsibility in such incidents, where the accessibility of firearms plays a crucial role.
As the court cases against Marcee and Colt Gray unfold, they will undoubtedly raise more questions about accountability, mental health, and the role of parents in preventing these horrific acts from occurring.
