Apalachee High School shooter sentencing hearing continues with testimony on Colt Gray's mental health
The sentencing hearing for the teenager who admitted carrying out the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School resumed on Monday inside a Barrow County courtroom.
Colt Gray, 16, pleaded guilty Friday to 55 charges filed against him, including four counts of malice murder after he killed two teachers and two students on Sept. 4, 2024. Another teacher and 8 students were all injured.
Gray entered what is known as a non-negotiated plea, meaning prosecutors and his defense attorneys did not reach an agreement on his punishment before he admitted guilt.
Testimony shows obsession with school shootings
The defense's first witness, forensic psychologist Dr. Kevin Richards, testified Monday that Colt Gray grew up in what he described as a chaotic home marked by frequent moves, financial instability, neglect and conflict between his parents.
Richards, who evaluated Gray over four interviews totaling about 15 hours, said Gray became increasingly isolated, spending much of his social life online where he developed an obsession with school shootings and mass shooters, including Nikolas Cruz.
Richards testified that Gray exhibited symptoms of anxiety, paranoia and depression, had been prescribed Zoloft, and was diagnosed with an unspecified personality disorder.
He also said Gray reported self-harm, showed signs of malingering during evaluations, and expressed remorse after the shooting, telling him he "knew he screwed up a lot of lives."
During cross-examination, prosecutors highlighted Discord messages and other evidence they argued showed Gray idolized school shooters, adopted some of their behaviors and spent extensive time consuming content related to mass shootings.
"He had just kind of disappeared into Discord and disappeared into the true crime community," Richards said.
In an online conversation just days before the shooting, Gray mentioned Sept. 4. When the person he was chatting with asked what was happening that day, he wrote, "something i have for nik!" — an apparent reference to the Parkland shooter's first name. He also noted that day was a Wednesday, just like the Parkland shooting.
Investigators also testified that Gray had the 911 call and investigative report of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School as well as a timeline of shooter Adam Lanza's life and more than 1400 pages of his writings and school records.
Parole decision uncertain for Colt Gray
Left on the stand was Barrow County District Attorney's Office Investigator Ashley Gilleland who, as the state laid out, went over reams and troves of files detailing Colt Gray's obsession with mass shooters — especially Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz.
Throughout the day, the court listened to expert witnesses testify — the crux of the argument — whether Gray's actions in September 2024 were premeditated or if he was having mental crisis...or both.
Gray faces a minimum sentence of life with the possibility of parole and a maximum of life without parole. Because he was 14 at the time of the shooting, he is not eligible for the death penalty.
The written plea paperwork filed in the Barrow County Superior Court obtained by CBS News shows Gray acknowledged that he understood the charges and the constitutional rights he surrendered by pleading guilty. He also answered that his decision was made "freely and voluntarily" and admitted committing the offenses for which he is charged.
Court resumes Tuesday at 9 a.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
