Georgia:

The mother of Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, who allegedly killed four people at Apalachee High School last month, is now facing disturbing charges of her own. Marcee Gray, 43, has been accused of taping her elderly mother, Deborah Polhamus, to a chair for nearly 24 hours and damaging her home during an incident in November, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported.

Indicted this week in Ben Hill County, Marcee Gray is charged with exploitation and intimidation of an elderly person, false imprisonment and criminal damage to property. She faces several felony charges and could receive up to 20 years in prison for the top charge of elder exploitation.

Authorities revealed that the incident began when Gray, in a fit of anger, demanded her mother accompany her to confront her ex-husband, Colin Gray. When Ms Polhamus refused, Gray allegedly taped her to a chair, stole her phone and damaged several parts of the house, including a bathroom mirror and a door.

The situation escalated further when, according to the police report, Gray threatened her mother saying she had to go with her because she was going to “kill her ex.” When Ms Polhamus resisted, Gray pushed her against a wall, injuring her wrist.

Deborah Polhamus was discovered the following day by a family friend after her daughter, Annie Brown, who lives out of state, became concerned when her mother stopped answering her phone. “Deborah explained that she agreed that Marcee needed to be punished for what she [had] done, but she wanted Marcee to get help for her drug addiction,” the police report stated.

This shocking incident coincides with the murder charges faced by Marcee Gray’s teenage son, Colt Gray, who is accused of killing two students and two teachers at his school last month. Colt’s father, Colin Gray, has also been charged with murder, accused of providing his son with the AR-15 rifle used in the shooting. Neither father nor son has entered a plea as of their September court appearances. 

Colt Gray had sent an apologetic text to his mother the morning of the shooting, and she had reportedly called the school 30 minutes before the gunfire, attempting to warn them about her son’s intentions. After the tragedy, she released a public statement insisting that her son “is not a monster,” despite the horrific nature of his actions.

Marcee Gray’s legal troubles have been long-standing, with a criminal record that spans nearly two decades. A former neighbour claimed she would sometimes lock Colt and his sister out of the house at night. However, Marcee’s father, Charles Polhamus, defended his daughter, disputing any claims of child abuse, stating that she only tried to help Colt.