FLINT, MI – About four months before he was accused of killing four people including a 9-year-old boy, Deonte I. Gray escaped from a group home in Jackson where he was staying under a judge's order, according to court records.



He was there after a 2010 conviction of felonious assault and second-degree home invasion, court records show.

Gray, 18, is accused of killing James Allen Jr., 25, along with Akeem Easterling, 23, and 9-year-old Trashawn Macklin inside an apartment July 15 at Park West Apartment complex on Hammerberg Road near Atherton Road. He also is accused of killing 29-year-old Greg Watkins on Aug. 17 outside a liquor store on Saginaw and 12th streets.

Gray was just 15 when he was arrested during a home invasion where a 94-year-old woman was sleeping in November 2010 at a residence on Seneca Street near Concord Street, court records show. While fleeing police, Gray allegedly fired a shot at an officer.

The officer returned fire, and struck Gray in the right thigh, according to court testimony. Gray was charged as an adult with assault with intent to murder and first-degree home invasion. Two other teens also were charged with home invasion.

But a problem arose with the case. The officer who shot Gray and the Michigan State Police trooper who apprehended Gray after the shooting could not identify the defendant in the case. When asked at a preliminary examination, the Flint police officer pointed to the defense table and said it was one of the two boys sitting at the defense table.

"I can't tell you which one," the officer testified. "Adrenaline moment."

Lizzie Winfrey, 94, of Flint, is hugged by a family member as police talk to her after her house was broken into by four teenagers while she was sleeping on Monday. Police responded to her home on Seneca and Concord streets on a home invasion call in November 2010.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the assistant prosecutor on the case was surprised when the officers were unable to identify Gray in court. But he stopped short of laying blame on the officers for the lack of an ID.

"In the heat of confrontation, I can understand that it's not the officer's first priority to get an ID on the suspect," said Leyton. "The officer's first priority at that moment is to protect themselves and others."

Leyton said he believes his office handled the case as best as it could.

Sent away

With its main witness unable to identify Gray, prosecutors made a plea deal of reduced charges, said Leyton. Gray pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion and felonious assault. He received a "blended sentence," meaning that he was supposed to be under custody of the state's juvenile system until age 21 and sent in December 2011 to undergo treatment at Shawono Center in Grayling, court records say.

According to its website, Shawono is a 40-bed treatment facility run by the Michigan Department of Human Services that treats male juveniles ages 12 to 21 accused of one or more felonies.

Court records show Gray struggled with "behavior problems" in his first few months at the facility and was denied the right in June 2012 to participate in off-grounds activity. His attorney for the case, Tricia Raymond, said he was having trouble following orders.

But after that, his behavior improved.

He completed some program requirements and he also passed his social studies and science tests and only needed to pass a writing test to obtain his GED for high school, court records say. He was allowed to be "de-escalated" in December 2012 to the Murack Lodge group home in Jackson.

Dave Akerly, spokesman for DHS, said it's the court that decides to release a youth from a facility.

"No one at Shawono or DHS can make the decision to release a youth," said Akerly. "The court will review progress on a quarterly basis and makes their determination based on the youth’s progress."

Akerly said Murack is a private facility that works with DHS.

At first, Gray was doing well at Murack, obtaining a job and registering for classes at Jackson Community College, court records say. But things started to go south about two months later. First, he tested for a drug that dilutes drug screenings, records say. He denied using drugs, while other youth in the facility admitted to using them.

On March 22, Gray was accused of assaulting another youth at the lodge, court records say. He went AWOL on March 23 before he could be questioned on it, according to court records. DHS was notified on March 26 and Jackson county police also were notified.

The director of the Murack Lodge did not return a call seeking comment.

DHS requested a bench warrant for Gray's arrest be issued on April 2, records show.

Raymond said she believes Gray was released from Shawono too soon. He was doing well in an institutionalized environment with orders, she said. She said her client was an "intelligent" young man who was the product of a violent environment and did not have strong family support.

"Our goal was to get him away from this (violent environment)," she said.

According to Raymond, a DHS caseworker recommended that Gray be moved to the group home and the judge followed that recommendation.

Raymond said she was "shocked" by the new allegations against Gray. She likely will not represent him in the homicide cases, she said.

Did anyone look for Gray?

It's not clear if anyone looked for Gray. There are more than 40,000 outstanding warrants in Genesee County. Flint Police Chief Alvern Lock could not be reached for comment.

Greg Watkins and his wife, Stavona. Greg Watkins was shot to death Saturday in the parking lot of South End Market.

Apparently, Gray had briefly lived at the complex of the triple homicide. Leyton said Gray had an argument that escalated into a physical altercation with Easterling. Police believe nearly two weeks later, Gray came back to the apartment, when another fight happened, and Gray shot and killed the three.

Then on Aug. 17, Gray is accused of killing Watkins at the South End Market. Authorities allege Gray had previously accused Watkins' family of stealing money.

Tips from the community led police to Gray, who was arrested after he was found in a relative's attic, Leyton said.

Gray is lodged in the Genesee County Jail.