The father of the accused Georgia high school shooter abandoned the family’s dogs and wedding photos when they were evicted but returned and “kicked in the door” to retrieve his guns, a baffled ex-landlord claims.
Colin and Marcee Gray were described as chaotic tenants before they fell too far behind on rent and were kicked out of their home in 2020, the estranged couple’s former landlord told the Independent.
The couple were told they had to vacate their home alone with their three children, including now-14-year-old suspected Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray.
The landlord, who remained unidentified, told the outlet that the Grays were slow to leave the rental property and left behind their two German Shepherds and several priceless memories.
“I imagine the next place where they were renting didn’t allow dogs, so they just left them,” he claimed, saying that the couple had ignored his attempts at reuniting them with their dogs.
The surprised landlord claimed he found a mix of other belongings left in the house including a golf bag, an archery set, assorted tools and their wedding photos.
“They left their wedding photos,” he said. “My wife tried to contact (Marcee) to say, ‘Hey, do you want these? Like, you can have them.’ And she never responded. So we ended up having to throw away their wedding pictures.”
Colin had only returned to the house after the locks were changed to retrieve the firearms he left behind.
The 54-year-old father reportedly “kicked in the door to get his guns out.”
Police advised the couple not to pursue charges due to the minimal damage and that Gray had “stolen” back his property, he told the Independent.
The property owner says he had forgotten about the family until earlier this week when the couple’s names came across his news feed, “And then it all comes back,” the shocked landlord said.
Colt allegedly murdered four people during his shooting rampage at Apalachee High School on Wednesday.
The tragic Georgia high school shooting: Here’s what’s known so far
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- Dad of alleged Ga. school shooter Colt Gray arrested, hit with murder and manslaughter charges: officials
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- Who are the four victims of the Apalachee High School shooting?
- Georgia school shooting suspect’s father called 2023 visit by police over online threats ‘bull—-‘: audio
Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and math teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, were killed in the massacre.
In court Friday, Gray, who will be tried as an adult, was warned he will face life in prison.
A day after the shooting, Colin, 54, was arrested and charged with four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
The charges come after it was revealed that Colin purchased the AR-15-style rifle Colt allegedly used in the massacre as a Christmas gift last December.
“These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” GBI Director Chris Hosey told reporters at a press conference, without providing any additional details.
Colt received the deadly present from his father just seven months after authorities visited the pair when the FBI received tips about online school shooting threats, according to the federal agency.
“It’s just so sad,” the former landlord said. “The more I’m reading these articles that are coming out, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, these kids didn’t have a freaking chance, man.’ Like, these parents just totally f–ked them, you know?”
Marcee, 43, has a lengthy rap sheet with drug and domestic violence arrests.
Lauren Vickers, who lived next door to the Grays in Jefferson, Georgia, said there were “problems immediately” when the Grays and their three children moved into the well-manicured neighborhood 60 miles east of Atlanta in 2022.
“There were nights where the mom would lock him and his sister out the house. And they would be banging on the back door, just screaming like ‘Mom! mom! mom!’ and crying. It was absolutely devastating,” she said.
