KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee man pleaded guilty Friday in connection with the death of a 6-year-old child who once lived in his Halls home, suffered abuse in his home and who ended up being buried on his property.
Michael Anthony Gray Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in Knox County Criminal Court to four counts -- criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jonathan Gray, felony child abuse in the care of another child, Sophie Gray, and two misdemeanors.
He got an effective 8-year sentence. He's already served a year in jail while awaiting prosecution. The balance of his punishmen
Jonathan and Sophie Gray were the adopted children of Michael Gray's parents, Michael Gray Sr. and Shirley Gray. The parents and five adopted children lived for a time in the 2010s in Gray Jr.'s home on Cedarbreeze Road.
While the adopted children lived in Gray Jr.'s Halls home, at least some of the children endured abuse including malnourishment and imprisonment at the hands of Gray Sr. and Shirley Gray, authorities say.
Furthermore, Jonathan Gray became gravely ill and ended up dying at the home. Gray Sr. then buried the boy's body on his son's property on Cedarbreeze Road. He also planted a peach tree at the site, according to authorities.
On Friday, prosecutors said they had no evidence that Gray Jr. inflicted abuse on the children.
Knox County prosecutor Ashley McDermott told Judge Scott Green on Friday that Gray Jr. "was not the direct abuser of these children."
Defense attorney Scott Lanzon told Green his client didn't hurt the children and didn't know abuse was going on because he lived in a separate part of the house than his parents and the children.
McDermott said, however, Gray Jr. listed one of the Gray adopted sons and Sophie Gray as dependents on his tax returns, including during the time when Sophie was deceased.
After Jonathan's remains were discovered in the Halls yard in May 2020 and after Sophie Gray's remains were found the same month on the Grays' property in Roane County, prosecutors charged Michael Gray Sr., Shirley Gray and Michael Gray Jr.
"It's hard for someone who sees what I see every single day to wrap my head around this case," Green said. "I can't fathom how one person can do that to another person, especially a small child."
Earlier this week, Gray Sr. and Shirley Gray pleaded guilty and were sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison with no chance for parole. They pleaded guilty both to the abuse they inflicted on Jonathan Gray in Knox County and the abuse they inflicted on Sophie Gray in Roane County.
In all, authorities say, Gray Sr. and Shirley Gray were responsible for the deaths of two children in their care and at least two other children suffered further abuse while living with them.
After Jonathan and Sophie died, the Grays continued to collect state benefits meant for the care of the children. They didn't tell authorities what had happened to the victims.