Chilling text messages exchanged the night a father buried his daughter were made public after an uncle pleaded guilty this week in the deaths of two Cumberland County teenagers, prosecutors said.
On Aug. 29, Mark Wright, the children's uncle, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, multiple counts of cruelty to children, two counts of concealing the death of another and false imprisonment for his role in the deaths of his niece, Mary Crocker, and nephew, Elwyn Crocker Jr. As part of a plea agreement, Wright will serve between 10 and 80 years in prison; his sentencing is scheduled for October. Wright had initially faced the possibility of the death penalty.
Authorities say investigators recovered text exchanges from the night Mary was buried in the backyard of the family home in Guyton, Ga., in December 2018. In one message attributed to Elwyn Crocker Sr., the children's father, the text reads: "Almost done burying Mary's." The father's mother, identified in charging documents as Kim Wright, responded, "Cool! How deep?" In another message, the father wrote, "There was a car driving by, driving by very slowly, I think it was a cop." He also messaged his wife, Candice Crocker, saying, "I think she's been hit in the head too many times." Prosecutors say the couple discussed plans to go to the movies after the burial.
Prosecutors presented autopsy and other evidence indicating Mary, 14, had been starved to death. Investigators allege both children were detained, beaten and subjected to severe neglect over extended periods. The indictment and court filings say Elwyn Jr. was kept in a dog crate, tased, beaten and starved between October and November 2016. He was last seen by others in late 2016 and was found behind the family home the same night Mary’s body was discovered, according to charging documents.
Neither child had been formally reported missing, authorities said; family members had told school officials and investigators that the children had gone to live with their mother. Both children had last attended school during their sixth-grade year before being pulled out for homeschooling, court records show.
Prosecutors introduced photos taken from the family's personal devices that they say show Mary emaciated, with her hair cut, and evidence of prolonged neglect and abuse. Web search history recovered from the father's devices included queries about what would happen if a child ingested bleach and how to bury a dog in the yard, authorities said. Neighbors told local media Mary was rarely seen playing with other children and was often observed doing yard work for long stretches.
Effingham County police said a neighbor had reported concerns about Mary’s wellbeing, prompting a search of the property. Officers found Mary’s body just inside the tree line on the property. A third child in the home, an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, was found alive and later taken into the state's care.
Five family members were charged in March 2019 in connection with the siblings' deaths: Elwyn Crocker Sr., Candice Crocker, Kim Wright and Kim Wright’s boyfriend, Roy Prater, in addition to Mark Wright. All defendants had entered not guilty pleas during earlier proceedings. As of this week, pretrial hearings remain ongoing for Crocker Sr., Candice Crocker and Kim Wright.
Court records and child welfare files show the family had been the subject of prior investigations. Georgia child welfare authorities ordered the couple to participate in mandatory counseling in 2012 and 2013 after reports that Elwyn Jr. had been abused. School counselors later reported a classmate’s account that Kim Wright struck Elwyn Jr. with a belt for an extended period. Prosecutors also allege Mark Wright once assaulted Elwyn Jr. in 2012.
The town coroner described the case as an unusually violent and disturbing crime for the farming community. Prosecutors have relied on digital evidence, witness statements and physical evidence recovered from the property in building their cases. The court filings and the plea by the uncle mark a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention for its alleged prolonged abuse and the failure to report two children’s disappearances to authorities.
Pretrial hearings for the remaining defendants are scheduled to continue in the coming months as prosecutors and defense lawyers prepare for trial dates. Sentencing for Mark Wright is set for October.