Curtis Gray Murder: Where is Marion Gavins Now? – In Flagler County, Florida, everyone searched for explanations in April 2019 following the untimely loss of a talented young athlete. After being discovered shot in a parking lot, Curtis Gray finally passed away. “The Murder Tapes: The Smoke Shop” episode on Investigation Discovery details how the police used witness accounts and other evidence to apprehend the murderer. So keep reading below to learn about Curtis Gray’s cause of death and his killer.
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Who Was Curtis Gray and How Did He Die?
Curtis “Curt” Israel Gray, who was born on December 11, 2000, lived in Palm Coast, Flagler County, Florida. When the incident occurred, the 18-year-old was a few weeks away from finishing high school. He was considered a charismatic and born leader who lived in a devout family. Curtis was a gifted athlete who preferred playing football and competing in track and field. Unfortunately, the senior’s life ended abruptly in Palm Coast, Florida, where he was killed violently.
On April 13, 2019, just around 2:30 am, a 911 call made from outside a tobacco store and coin laundry off Belle Terre Parkway in Palm Coast resulted in the arrival of emergency personnel. When they arrived, they saw Curtis lying on the ground suffering from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen; a 9mm round casing was also there. Curtis was still alive when assistance arrived and was taken to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach. Sadly, the teen passed away from his wounds shortly after.
Who Killed Curtis Gray and Why?
Curtis Gray gave a physical description of the shooter before he passed away. The boy approached an SUV in the parking lot, and other witnesses claimed to the police that they saw someone shoot him once before the SUV drove away. According to the program, the detectives then got a tip that the car was at a house a few miles from the crime scene.
The police put the house under surveillance and executed a search warrant after spotting the SUV in the garage. They discovered marijuana, a pistol, a shotgun, and Marion Leo Gavins Jr.’s identity card, who was then 17 years old, inside. He resided in that home, and he matched Curtis’ description. The police started searching for Marion, but he was nowhere to be found. Additionally, Marion had previously been detained for marijuana sales, domestic abuse, and breaking the terms of her home detention.
According to the investigation, Marion was riding in the backseat of Alex’s vehicle (later identified as Teresa Salgado). Witnesses reported that there were additional passengers in the car. Social media posts depicted Marion brandishing weapons and flashing gang signs in accordance with the show. Then it came to light that he had posted a disparaging comment about a friend of Curtis’ who had just passed away. This argument appeared to be what finally led to the shooting.
The show claimed that CCTV footage from the tobacco shop provided a more precise depiction of what transpired. That evening, when Marion and Alex were inside, Curtis went into the shop. Curtis noticed Marion and walked away. However, Marion had already seen him and made his way to the SUV. Marion fired one shot at Curtis as he approached the car after being prompted by something. He then requested to be taken away while pointing a revolver at the driver.
His mother, Carmen said to Perkins today, as she sat in the witness box with her sister holding one hand and Gray groping for a tissue the judge had given her: “My child died before me and I’m having to take this torch he left behind. Death yields a different kind of pain that’s unending, that will never go away. The connection between my son and I was profound.”
According to Gray’s mother, “His reach wasn’t just in the high school arena. He was a young readers’ book club mentor, so that means the elementary schools were impacted by his death. He was also a Little League coach for Mad Dogs. That meant those children were impacted by his death.”
“This young man managed to squeeze into 18 years a lifetime of service that some men may live to 60, 70, or 80 and will not have achieved half of,” said the author. Gray recalled the “monumental triumph” his FPC track team attained in a tournament after dedicating its event to Gray before adding, “He was also an outstanding public speaker.” She remembered his fascination with penny stocks and his growing interest in finance.
“I’m going to make you proud,” Gray had told his mother the very day he was killed, she said. “And he has. He has.”
What Happened to Marion Gavins and Where Is He Now?
Finally, Marion Gavins turned himself in after his mother insisted. Later on, he asserted that he thought Curtis was reaching for a gun. Marion then opened fire on him. However, a firearm was not discovered on or near Curtis when he passed away. Marion admitted to first-degree murder in October 2021.
He was thus given a 40-year prison term. Marion’s sentence was increased to 45 years when he assaulted a correctional officer while he was still being tried. According to prison records, he is still detained at Florida’s Hardee Correctional Institution in Bowling Green. In September 2063, Marion will be eligible for release.
Using a zoom lens, Wallace stated, “I have been in law enforcement for 14, going on 15 years, I started off in Chicago, and worked there and seen some bad things. But what sticks out to me is Mr. Gavin. And I’ve had the opportunity to work in Flagler County Sheriff’s, or at the county jail for a little under a year now. And I’ve witnessed Gavins’s defiance firsthand all throughout my workings there. And also witnessed his violent acts firsthand. The only thing that I can say is that, to me, Gavins does not show any signs of remorse or even understanding of anything that he has done to the many lives that he’s affected. I hope this court takes that into consideration.”
