Teen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 4 in Georgia High School Shooting

Nicholas told the 16-year-old his actions amounted to "deliberate, contemplated evil."

Published: 7/28/2026, 9:05:49 PM EDT

Teen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 4 in Georgia High School Shooting — Colt Gray reacts during his sentencing hearing at Barrow County Superior Court in Winder, Ga., on July 28, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

A Georgia judge on Tuesday sentenced a teenager who killed four people in a shooting at Apalachee High School to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm handed down the sentence to Colt Gray days after the teen pleaded guilty to 55 charges, including murder, stemming from the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school located about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Nicholas told the 16-year-old his actions amounted to "deliberate, contemplated evil."

Only Parole Eligibility Was in Question

Because Georgia law mandates a life sentence for murder, Primm's sole decision was whether Gray would ever be considered for release. The judge chose to close that door permanently, telling Gray: "You do not seem to be tormented by what you did. You seem to relish following in the footsteps of the murderers you idolize. You aren't wracked with guilt. You're proud of yourself.”

The judge reached his decision after a three-day hearing that included testimony from grieving relatives, investigators, Gray's grandmother, and a forensic psychologist who examined him.

Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith argued forcefully against any future release, telling the court, "We've seen no evidence he has any ability to develop a conscience or any ability ever to fully value human life.”

Defense attorney W. Charlton Allen told the judge that his client was “not irretrievably broken,” arguing that preserving a chance at parole would offer Gray “an opportunity of hope," but without that, it "takes away the ability for him to change.”

Families Call Verdict a Relief, Not a Celebration

The shooting killed math teacher and football coach Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, 39, teacher Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Another teacher and eight students were also wounded, seven of them by gunfire. Aspinwall's wife, Shayna Aspinwall, told the court the attack left behind "a life sentence of grief and trauma for those left behind.” Nearly all victims and relatives who addressed the judge urged him to reject any possibility of parole.

Prosecutors Say Shooter Sought Online Fame

Jail phone recordings played in court captured Gray asking his mother, Marcee Gray, to search online for reactions to him, and growing excited when she described "fan art" and other attention he was receiving.

Testimony from investigators painted Gray as someone who idolized past mass shooters and discussed them online within the self-described true crime community (TCC), a network of young people fixated on such violence. Prosecutors said Gray had talked about becoming noticed through a school attack.

Smith told the court Gray deliberately echoed details from other mass killings during the attack, planting what the prosecutor called "Easter eggs" meant to be noticed later and fuel his notoriety. "The shooting was not the culmination of the plan. The shooting was just one of the steps of the plan. The plan was ultimate and lifelong fame inside of the TCC," Smith said.

Earlier Warning Signs Surfaced Before Attack

Separately, the FBI's Atlanta Field Office confirmed the 13-year-old subject flagged in a May 2023 tip investigation was the same person taken into custody after the shooting.

That earlier probe began when the FBI's National Threat Operations Center received anonymous tips about online threats referencing gun photographs; agents traced the posts to Georgia within 24 hours and referred the matter to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. Deputies interviewed the boy and his father, who said he owned hunting firearms but denied his son had unsupervised access to them; the son denied making the threats, and authorities determined there was no legal basis for arrest at the time.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation later reported that Colt Gray's father, Colin Gray, 54, was arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. Colin knowingly allowed his son, Colt, to have the weapon.

Grandmother Describes a Troubled Upbringing

Gray's maternal grandmother, Debbie Polhamus, testified that her grandson endured a difficult childhood and that his parents failed him, adding that he had become "highly agitated and aggressive" in the weeks leading up to the shooting despite her urging his parents to seek help.

Polhamus said weekly visits to the youth detention center show her grandson has improved significantly under treatment and medication, and that he has been reading extensively and hopes to pursue a GED diploma. Gray entered foster care while detained after his father was imprisoned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.