Colin Gray: Trial date set for father of accused Apalachee High School shooter
Colin Gray in court. (FOX 5)
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A trial date has been set for the father of accused Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray.
Court documents obtained by FOX 5 reveal that Colin Gray's trial is set to begin on Sept. 8, 2025.
SEE MORE: Georgia school safety bill signed into law after deadly Apalachee High School shooting
The backstory:
The elder Gray was charged with allowing his 14-year-old son access to the weapon investigators say was used to kill four people and injure nine others at Apalachee High School in September 2024. Colin Gray faces 29 charges, including second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children. The outcome of his bond hearing could determine whether he remains in custody while awaiting trial.
The mass shooting at Apalachee High School occurred on Sept. 4, 2024. On that date, Colt Gray allegedly killed math teacher Cristina Irimie, Coach Richard Aspinwall, 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, and 14-year-old Christian Angulo. The students were identified as Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, and the teachers were Cristina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39.
6 months since Apalachee High School shooting
It has been six months since the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School. The shooting claimed the lives of two students and two teachers.
Investigators later found a notebook belonging to Colt Gray that contained drawings eerily matching the events of the school shooting, as well as a checklist outlining steps Colt planned to take. They also found a "shrine of sorts" behind Colt's computer desk in his home, consisting of approximately 15 photographs and newspaper articles about past school shootings and school shooters.
The GBI also learned from Colin Gray that he had received unsettling text messages from both his daughter and ex-wife on the day of the shooting. After reading the texts, Colin said he went home and turned on the news, where he saw reports of the shooting at Colt’s school. He told investigators that he then went to Colt’s room to look for the AR-15-style rifle he had given him, only to find it missing. Investigators testified that Colin Gray did not seem surprised when he was informed of the shooting and did not immediately express remorse after learning about the incident.
Colt Gray, Colin Gray (Barrow County Sheriff's Office)
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, Chief Judge Nicholas Primm of Barrow County Superior Court ruled that local jurors will not be used in the high-profile case.
Gray’s attorneys argued that the widespread publicity of the case, and the passionate response it invokes, would have tainted the opinions of local potential jurors. At a hearing on April 17, prosecutors agreed that a jury of locals wouldn’t be appropriate because of the impact of the shooting on the county northeast of Atlanta.
No local jury for Colin Gray
A Barrow County judge agrees with that a local jury should not be used for the trial of accused Apalachee High School shooter's father Colin Gray. The judge called using a local jury "risky" and says he will look into either moving the trial or bringing in an outside jury.
The question still remains whether jurors from another north Georgia county will be chosen to hear the case — as prosecutors want to happen — or whether it will be tried hundreds of miles away.
Defense lawyers have mentioned Thomas County, in south Georgia, as one possible place, arguing residents there get much of their news from the Tallahassee, Florida, market. Prosecutors have suggested choosing jurors from Walton County, which is near Barrow County. But Superior Court Judge Nick Primm expressed concerns that jurors selected from there could know people involved in the case since that county is so close to Apalachee High.
OTHER STORIES
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- Colt Gray seeks venue change for Apalachee High School shooting trial
- Shocking new details revealed in hearing for Apalachee HS shooting suspect's father
- Apalachee High School shooting: Arrest of Colt Gray's father announced
What's next:
In his order, Primm has asked for all motions in the trial to be served to the court and opposing counsel by July 15. At that time, he will schedule a date to hold hearings on the motions.
Both the prosecution and defense are required to send their lists of witnesses expected to be called during the trial by early August.
Colt Gray has also requested to have his trial be moved out of the county due to the intense media coverage and community impact surrounding the case. A hearing for his motion is scheduled for the near future.
The Source: Information for this story was taken from a Barrow County Superior Court document and previous FOX 5 reporting.