A psychologist testified Monday that the teenager who killed two students and two teachers in a 2024 shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School experienced a chaotic, lonely childhood and was deeply immersed in an online community interested in mass shootings.
Colt Gray, 16, pleaded guilty Friday to 55 counts, including murder, stemming from the Sept. 4, 2024, incident that also wounded several others. The shooting occurred about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta. Gray entered the plea without a deal with prosecutors, leaving it to Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm to determine if he will have the possibility of parole.
The victims included teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. An additional teacher and eight students were injured, seven by gunfire.
Forensic psychologist Kevin Richards, who evaluated Gray at the request of the defense, testified that during their initial meeting in May 2025, Gray asked if he could conceal his arms within his sweatshirt. Richards conducted four interviews with Gray totaling approximately 15 hours and spoke with Gray's mother for about three hours over two separate conversations.
"It was pretty chaotic," Richards described Gray's upbringing, citing the family's financial instability and frequent moves, which led to prolonged periods of non-enrollment in school. He also noted that Gray's parents struggled with drug use and frequent arguments, contributing to a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness.
Richards stated that Gray exhibited paranoia, expressing fears of teachers plotting against him and believing people in public spaces were speaking about him. The psychologist also noted Gray's suspicion that his home computer had been compromised, leading him to frequently change online usernames and destroy external storage devices.
While acknowledging Gray's paranoia, Richards expressed doubt that it was the primary motivator for the attack. "I don’t think he was driven by hallucinations or delusions to do what he did. I think he planned it out," Richards testified.
Gray's social life was predominantly online, where he was a gamer and became involved with a community of true crime enthusiasts who focused on mass shootings. Richards identified Adam Lanza, James Holmes, and Nikolas Cruz as figures Gray was particularly interested in.
During cross-examination, District Attorney Brad Smith presented Discord conversations, an online communication platform, indicating that Gray sometimes fabricated mental health symptoms or drug use online to gain attention and establish common ground with others. Richards affirmed that Gray was "kind of obsessed" with past school shooters.
Following Gray's guilty plea, family members of the victims delivered statements to the judge, with most advocating for a sentence of life without parole.
Prosecutors also played recordings of two interviews investigators conducted with Gray: one shortly after the shooting and another several hours later. In these interviews, Gray mentioned experiencing uncontrollable urges and hearing voices instructing him to act.
In March, Gray's father, Colin Gray, was convicted of charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors stated that Colin Gray provided his son with the assault-style rifle used in the shooting. Sentencing for the father is scheduled for later this week.