Man in custody after admitting to murder

Shortly after 2 p.m. a man who pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to the 2009 murder of an Enterprise man and the attempted murder of another turned himself in to the Coffee County Jail.

Christopher Drew McCray pleaded guilty to the murder of Tori Maurice Jones, 30, and the attempted murder of 26-year-old George Presley at the Enterprise courthouse. Circuit Judge Tom Head accepted the plea and declared McCray guilty. 

McCray was allowed to leave the courthouse to spend time with family following his plea and before reporting to jail.

McCray was arrested about 15 hours after the January 2009 murder of Jones.

Jones died after suffering a gunshot to the face and chest moments after midnight Jan.1, 2009.

Enterprise police officers responded to Castle Ridge Apartments #50 moments after the New Year rang in to find Jones shot in the face and chest, according to police officials.

Moments later, police were asked to respond to Medical Center Enterprise emergency room where Presley was undergoing treatment for a non life-threatening gunshot wound to the forehead.

When officers responded to MCE, they learned of McCray's alleged role in the attempted murder of Presley.

"Presley stated that McCray was the person who shot him, but denied any knowledge of who shot Jones," former Enterprise Police Capt. Mike Lolley said during a 2009 interview with The Southeast Sun. "Presley stated that McCray was the person who shot him, but denied any knowledge of who shot Jones."

After speaking with Presley and witnesses of the shooting, officers developed McCray as the suspect of the murder and notified law enforcement to be on the lookout for his whereabouts.

From witness statements, officers determined McCray, Presley and Jones were at the same New Year's party when they got into an altercation.

"During the argument McCray brandished a gun," Lolley said. Fellow partygoers informed the three men to take the argument outside.

Moments later, Jones reentered the apartment and collapsed, according to Lolley.

Presley's brother drove him to MCE and McCray allegedly fled the scene.

McCray will remain in custody at the jail until his Dec. 1 sentencing date.

He faces a possibility of life in prison.