Bio

Coleman Wayne Gray was born around 1957. He had a criminal history beginning in his teenage years, including burglary, attempted robbery, malicious wounding, and firearm offences. In 1978, he received prison sentences totalling 21 years after shooting and injuring a man during an attempted robbery. He was released on parole in August 1983.

After leaving prison, Gray worked in food service and masonry. By 1985, he was married to a woman named Melinda, who had been dismissed from her job at Murphy’s Mart by store manager Richard McClelland. Prosecutors said Gray became angry over the dismissal, threatened McClelland, obtained a .32-caliber revolver, studied the store’s layout, and recruited Melvin Tucker to help him rob the business.

Murder Story

On May 2, 1985, Gray and Tucker followed McClelland after he left Murphy’s Mart. They blocked his vehicle, kidnapped him at gunpoint, took his wallet, and forced him to return to the store. McClelland was made to provide access to approximately $12,000 to $13,000 in cash.

The men then drove him to a remote road near Tidewater Community College in Suffolk. McClelland was ordered to lie face down and pleaded for his life. He was shot six times in the back of the head with a .32-caliber revolver. His vehicle was later burned to destroy evidence.

Gray was arrested on May 10, 1985, after police found drugs, ammunition, stolen property, and items connected to the burned vehicle. He admitted participating in the kidnapping and robbery but claimed Tucker was the gunman. Tucker testified that Gray fired the shots.

Gray was convicted of capital murder on December 5, 1985, and formally sentenced to death on January 27, 1986. His appeals focused partly on disputed evidence involving two other unsolved murders, but his conviction remained in place. Several witnesses later recanted parts of their testimony, although Tucker continued to identify Gray as McClelland’s killer.

After clemency and final appeals were denied, Coleman Wayne Gray was executed by lethal injection in Virginia on February 26, 1997. He made no final statement.