The Georgia woman whose 14-year-old son shot and killed four people at Apalachee High School earlier this month has been accused of taping her elderly mother to a chair, stealing her property and then abandoning her for nearly 24 hours.
Marcee Gray, 43, was indicted in a Ben Hill County court on counts of exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult or elderly person, false imprisonment, criminal damage to property and theft, the Atlanta Constitution-Journal reported Saturday.
If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison.
The charges stem from a domestic violence incident involving Gray and her mother, Deborah Polhamus, which unfolded on Nov. 3, 2023, according to an incident report.
The following day, Polhamus, who was 74 at the time, told police her daughter became enraged after she refused to join her on a trip to Barrow County, where Marcee’s ex-husband, Colin Gray, lived with their three kids.
“Marcee became upset and told Deborah that she was making her go with her because she was going to kill her ex,” the incident report reads. “Deborah stated she refused to go and Marcee threw her up against the wall, causing a cut on her left wrist.”
In addition to then binding her mother to a chair, Gray allegedly stole her cellphone so she couldn’t call for help, then broke a bathroom mirror and the back door of her mother’s home.
It’s unclear why Gray was desperate to confront her ex at the time, though family members and neighbors have described their relationship as long being “toxic” and turbulent.
Polhamus was only freed the following day after her other daughter, who lives in Florida, grew concerned when she was unable to get in contact with her. She reached out to a friend and asked they go check in at Polhamus’ home, where they found her duct-taped to the chair by her ankles and wrists.
Polhamus was left with a wrist injury and bruises in wake of the incident, but told authorities she “did not want to see Marcee being a felon for the rest of her life,” according to the incident report. “Deborah explained that she agreed Marcee needed to be punished for what she [had] done, but she wanted Marcee to get help for her drug addiction.”
Gray — who has a lengthy rap sheet dating back to at least 2007, including charges of DUI, domestic violence and felony drug possession — was arrested in Barrow County on Nov. 6, two days after her mother was found. She was sentenced to 45 days in jail after pleading guilty to charges of criminal trespassing, using a license plate to disguise her car and causing property damage.
It’s unclear why the heftier charges related to the incident were brought forth this past week.
Barrow County Sheriff’s Office
Colt Gray
Earlier this month, Gray’s son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, opened fire inside Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., killing two math teachers and two students before he surrendered to a school resource officer. He’s been charged with four counts of felony murder.
The victims have since been identified as Richard Aspinwall, 39; Christina Irimie, 53; and Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, who were both 14 years old.
Gray’s ex-husband, 54-year-old Colin Gray, has also been charged in connection with the mass shooting. He’s accused of gifting his teen son the AR-style rifle he used to carry out his attack, despite the fact that he’d previously been interviewed by police about threats to shoot up a school.
With News Wire Services
