Colt Gray, now 16, is expected to change his plea during a hearing scheduled for Saturday, July 24th, 2026, in Barrow County Superior Court in Winder, Georgia. Gray faces 55 criminal counts, including malice murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault, related to a 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School that resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers.

Previously charged as an adult, Gray had entered a not guilty plea. The second-degree murder charges alone carry a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison, with an overall possible sentence of up to 180 years.

The upcoming hearing is described as a "non-negotiated" plea, meaning Gray will plead guilty without an agreed-upon sentence, leaving sentencing decisions entirely to the judge after hearing case summaries and recommendations.

In late 2025, Gray's attorneys indicated that plea negotiations were underway, but a judge later imposed a deadline requiring Gray to notify the court and prosecutors by July 15th if he intended to plead guilty before trial.

Prosecutors have accused Colin Gray, Colt's father, of "criminal negligence" for allowing his son access to a firearm and ammunition despite warnings that Colt Gray might harm others. Investigators reported that in September 2024, Colt Gray brought a semiautomatic assault-style rifle onto a school bus, concealed in a book bag with the barrel protruding.

The case continues to draw attention as the community awaits the court's proceedings later this month.

Sources