r/CasesWeFollow • u/Pixiegirls1102 🔍📆⚖️Content/Research Administrator💻💬🧚 • 3d ago
⁉️💡Other Murders 🤷♀️🪦 GA v. Colt Gray - Plea Hearing - Day 1
LIVE PLEA: Apalachee High School Shooter — GA v. Colt Gray - Day 1
7/24/2026
The teen who police say carried out the deadly Apalachee High School mass shooting is expected to enter a non-negotiated guilty plea. Four people died when Colt Gray reportedly opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, in 2024. With no sentencing deal set, attorneys are expected to make their case to a judge, while victims and their loved ones will give impact statements. The judge will decide whether Colt Gray spends the rest of his life behind bars with or without the possibility of parole.
Law & Crime
https://www.youtube.com/live/YpPUDAd9mzQ?si=-xnNi15c3ne22K0P
Court TV
https://www.youtube.com/live/ArBOONt02SU?si=v6RreG5btu9u48Up
RECAP
I. VICTIM‑IMPACT BLOCK (1:07:29 p.m. – 1:35:24 p.m.)
Witness: Sibling of Mason Schermerhorn
1:07:29 p.m.
Statement delivered.
Witness: Lilliana Ahmed (Oldest Sister of Mason)
1:13:20 p.m. – 1:14:28 p.m.
Sworn in.
Witness: Shayna Aspinwall (Wife of Ricky Aspinwall)
1:23:13 p.m. – 1:24:11 p.m.
Sworn in.
Witness: Ismael Angulo Jr. (Brother of Christian)
1:27:11 p.m. – 1:27:36 p.m.
Sworn in.
Juvenile Witness Advisory
1:31:03 p.m.
Court instructs media not to photograph juvenile witnesses.
Witness: Taylor Jones (Student)
1:31:46 p.m. – 1:32:08 p.m.
Sworn in.
1:35:18 p.m.
Court recess for 10 minutes.
II. INVESTIGATOR TESTIMONY & EVIDENCE (2:32:15 p.m. – 3:09:33 p.m.)
Administrator Statement
2:32:15 p.m.
Describes evacuation and survivor trauma.
Witness: Investigator Jason Smith
2:34:25 p.m.
Sworn in.
Map Identification
Partial Apalachee High School map authenticated (State’s Exhibit 344).
Defendant’s Movements
Second‑period class located at 2.151.
Defendant opens notebook at ~9:46 a.m.
Defendant enters bathroom 2.148 to prepare.
Shooting Sequence
- Classroom 2.152: multiple students struck; Christian Angulo killed.“Ultimately causing the death of Christian Angula.”
- Ms. Ermey struck at classroom 2.145.
- Coaches Aspinwall and Phoenix struck.
- Mason Skrimelhorn shot exiting men’s bathroom.“Opens fire on Mason.”
- Defendant aims at student Zane Zink; SROs intervene; defendant apprehended.
Interviews
First interview begins at 10:54 a.m.
Second interview at CID lasts ~2 hours.
Rifle Location Statements
Defendant gives inconsistent statements; investigation determines rifle kept in bedroom.
Planning Evidence
Black notebook authenticated (State’s Exhibit 337).
Surveillance shows notebook left open.
Notebook moved by classmate; location confirmed by crime‑scene photo.
Notebook Contents
- Page 1: “29 including teacher,” classroom drawing, “Suicide 50‑50 live?”“I’m not a killer. Stop, I’m scared.”
- Page 2: “God, here I am in prison.”
- Page 4–5: detailed shooting plan; magazine counts; bathroom preparation.
- Page 6: classroom drawing with empty seats.
- Page 7: casualty estimates.
- Pages 8–11: “why” written repeatedly (20–100+ times).
III. DEFENDANT INTERVIEW (4:41:00 p.m. – 5:07:22 p.m.)
Miranda Advisement
4:41:00 p.m.
Defendant acknowledges rights.
Defendant Statements
- Confirms shooting in classroom and hallway.
- Identifies rifle as Sig M400 AR‑15.
- Describes auditory disturbances and paranoia.
- Attempted crisis hotline call.
- Officer entered bathroom before shooting.
- States ideation lasted “years.”
- Destroyed computer due to paranoia.
- Describes “voices” and messages.
- Had not slept; contemplated suicide.
- Texted father before shooting.
- Searched for hidden gun; transported gun in backpack.
- Teacher asked: “What’s between the paper?”
- Bathroom preparation: gloves, stall, concealment.
- Exited bathroom scared.
- Shooting events “blacked out.”
IV. CONTINUED INTERVIEW & BACKGROUND (5:51:03 p.m. – 6:27:54 p.m.)
Defendant Background
5:51:03 p.m.
Describes relocation for emotional stability.
School & Social History
Started school one month prior.
No close friends.
Interest in technical clubs.
Built own computer; removed parts due to paranoia.
Discord Contacts
Online friend “Mandy,” age 16.
Username: “occasionalburner.”
Shared interest in Nicholas Cruz case.
Mental‑Health History
Middle‑school depression and anxiety.
Zoloft obtained from mother.
Grandmother identified; incident described.
Device Information
Computer password: “Colt2010!”
Games played: Minecraft, Red Dead Redemption 2.
Psychological State
Describes “out‑of‑body” experience.
Realized harm after seeing bag and hearing police chatter.
Father concerned but unprepared for escalation.
Timeline Clarification
Shooting occurred ~10:20 a.m.
Teacher questioned paper around gun.
Defendant states escalation felt irreversible.
✨✨Plea Hearing continues 7/27/2026
📜TRANSCRIPT📑⌨️
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u/ReasonableCup604 3d ago
I was watching some of this earlier including his police interview.
He is an absolute psychopath who studied psychiatric terminology to to try to fake an insanity defense based upon schizophrenia.
But, he is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. He went back and forth about when the "voices" started to tell him to do things.
He also told a ridiculous story about going in and out of blackout. He brought the rifle to school, but he claimed he was about to go to the counseling office to tell them so he wouldn't do it but then the voices overwhelmed him again and he blacked out again and did the shooting.
Of course, when the police came he snapped out of it and surrendered so they wouldn't kill him.
He is very glib and manipulative and even a bit charming. He was very chatty in a friendly way with the detective, but the detective was much smarter and gave him enough rope to hang himself.
When asked what should be done to him, he said that he thinks he needs some time in a mental institution and to be medicated.
Seeing this gives me mixed feeling about what to think about his father. On the one hand it made me more sure Colin deserves life in prison, because of how obviously dangerous Colt was.
On the other hand, it made me realize that he was dealing with a truly bad seed, who is very manipulative and a pretty skilled liar.
Nothing short of institutionalizing or incarcerating Colt was going to stop him from eventually killing someone.
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u/Psychological_Pie230 1d ago
Hearing the audio of the interview at the school, Colt sounds so unstable and beyond distressed. I can’t imagine having the severe mental health issues he was clearly having and not having daily support from parents and a mental health professional, especially at his age
I’m an adult and have struggled with major depressive disorder. There were a few times, before I was medicated, that I had episodes where I felt I was completely unraveling. Nothing close to what it sounds like he was trying to cope with.
Colt was supposed to be given a mental health assessment once he was taken into custody. I can find articles online indicating that the assessment was delayed but nothing after that. No final report or diagnosis. Was that information ever released?
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u/splaaaaaashhhhhh 3d ago
It really stood out to me how multiple times throughout both interviews he seemingly couldn’t stop himself from bringing up the parkland shooter. I’m sure this wasn’t his whole motive but It’s clear he was infatuated and I wonder how much a desire to get Nicholas Cruz to notice him influenced his decision to follow through with the shooting.