GA - Mary & Elwyn Crocker Jr, both 14, starved, beaten & buried, Effingham Cnty, 20 Dec 2018 Arrests

[Niner]

Wednesday, January 7th:
*Motions Hearing (Day 2 of 2) (@ 9am ET) - GA – Mary Frances Crocker (14) & Elwyn John Crocker, Jr. (‘JR’) (14) (Mary died Oct. 18, 2018, Elwyn died about Nov. 30, 2016 & both discovered Dec. 20, 2018 buried in backyard, Guyton) – *Elwyn John Crocker, Sr. (50/now 57) (“father”) arrested (12/20/18), charged (1/29/19), indicted (3/12/19) & arraigned (4/17/19) & re-arraigned (2/19/20) with 2 counts of malice murder, 2 counts of felony murder for the deaths of Elwyn, Jr. & Mary, 1 count of sexual battery, 4 counts of cruelty to children, 2 counts of false imprisonment & 2 counts of concealing a death. Plead not guilty (2/19/20). No bond. DA will seek DP. Effingham County
Judge Matthew K. Hube presiding. ADA Matthew Breedon. Defense attorney Jerilyn Bell, Samuel Carlos Wood, Kara Stangl, Stephen R. Yekel & Mary F. Dayton.
Court info from 3/15/19 thru 1/2/26 reference post #599 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ngham-cnty-20-dec-2018-arrests.406245/page-30
1/5/26 Update: Docket updates: [677] Order granting WSAV Rule 22 request for 1/5/26 (pool camera). [678] Miscellaneous. Motions hearings before Judge Hube. Matthew Breedon & Christine Barker for the state. Jerilyn Bell & Kara Stangl for the defense. Defendant present, currently in eff co jail. Motions considered #55, 56, 58, 124 & 125.Motions hearing continues on Wednesday, 1/7/26 @ 9am.
*Kimberly Renee Wright (50/now 56) (“step-grandma”) – Plead guilty (9/16/25) & sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Motions hearing on 10/27-30/25.
*Mark Anthony “Tony” Wright (31/now 38) (bro of Candice) – Plead guilty (8/29/25) & sentenced (11/14/25) to 80 years in prison. Has filed motion for new trial (12/9/25).
*Roy Anthony Prater (55/now 62) - 10/24/19 Update: Plead guilty. Sentencing delayed until all defendants’ cases are complete. Will testify against the other 3 defendants.
*Candice Heather Crocker (33/now 40) (“step-mom”) - 10/15/20 Update: Plead guilty to 2 counts of malice murder, 2 counts of cruelty to child, to 2 counts of concealing a death & 2 counts of false imprisonment. Rest of the charges were Nolle Prosequi (dismissed). Sentenced to life without parole & credit for time served (12/20/18 to 10/21/20) to be served concurrently. In plea deal she must testify against the other 3 defendants.

 

[Niner]

Oops - too late to delete my above post -

Filings
Dkt# Doc Type Description Filer Filing Date
679 Request REQUEST - rule 22 request - 01/07/2026 (wjcl) 01/06/2026 Manual

680 Brief post hearing brief on admissibilty of expert testimony regarding cause and manner of death Bell, Jerilyn 01/06/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

Events
Event Type Event Description Court Date
Calendar criminal motion calendar - motion hearings #55 #56 #58 #125 ** cancelled, all matters heard on 01/05 ** 01/07/2026 09:00 AM

link: Document Access and Electronic Filing

 

[Niner]

Elwyn
Events
Event Type Event Description Court Date
Calendar criminal motion calendar - depositions- day 3 of 3 02/04/2026 09:00 AM

Calendar criminal motion calendar - depositions- day 2 of 3 02/03/2026 09:00 AM

Calendar criminal motion calendar - depositions- day 1 of 3 to be heard in magistrate courtroom 02/02/2026 09:00 AM

Calendar criminal motion calendar - motion hearings #55 #56 #58 #125 ** cancelled, all matters heard on 01/05 ** 01/07/2026 09:00 AM


Dkt# Doc Type Description Filer Filing Date Source
681 Order (56) order granting def's mtn for separate hearing on venue Anderson, Kathy 01/12/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

682 Order (125) order on defendant's motion to prevent disclosure of defense requested dfacs materials to the state Anderson, Kathy 01/12/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

683 Order order re-setting depositions Anderson, Kathy 01/12/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

link: Document Access and Electronic Filing

 

[Niner]

Mark:
Events
Event Type Event Description Court Date
Calendar criminal motion calendar - motion for reconsideration of sentence 01/28/2026 09:00 AM


Dkt# Doc Type Description Filer Filing Date Source
510 Supplement supplement to motion for reconsideration of sentence Sincox, Allan 12/26/2025 eFile: PeachCourt

511 Notice of Hearing notice of hearing 1-28-26- defense motion for reconsideration of sentence or for a new sentence hearing Balleck, Deana 01/02/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

link: Document Access and Electronic Filing

 

[Conelrad]

Mark:
Events
Event Type Event Description Court Date
Calendar criminal motion calendar - motion for reconsideration of sentence 01/28/2026 09:00 AM


Dkt# Doc Type Description Filer Filing Date Source
510 Supplement supplement to motion for reconsideration of sentence Sincox, Allan 12/26/2025 eFile: PeachCourt

511 Notice of Hearing notice of hearing 1-28-26- defense motion for reconsideration of sentence or for a new sentence hearing Balleck, Deana 01/02/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

link: Document Access and Electronic Filing

How likely do you think it is that Mark Wright could get his sentence reduced? Is a defense motion for a reconsideration of a sentence or a new sentence hearing par for the course with cases like this? I was really happy with that 80 years and I'd hate for him to get less (although I suppose I'd be fine with 50).

 

[fsngruv]

How likely do you think it is that Mark Wright could get his sentence reduced? Is a defense motion for a reconsideration of a sentence or a new sentence hearing par for the course with cases like this? I was really happy with that 80 years and I'd hate for him to get less (although I suppose I'd be fine with 50).

That is very curious. I wonder what the grounds are? Bringing the ocga forward in case it offers and insights? https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-17/chapter-10/article-1/section-17-10-1/

 

[Niner]

Just got this article in my alerts.

Crocker Case: Father charged with murder, facing death penalty requests change of venue

An Effingham County judge will decide whether the Crocker murder case will be moved to a different venue.

www.wtoc.com

Jan. 14, 2026

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - An Effingham County judge is set to decide whether the Crocker murder case will be moved to a different venue.

Lawyers for Elwyn Crocker, Sr. were in court this week to request a separate hearing before Crocker’s trial.

The court granted their motion for an evidentiary hearing for a change of venue.

The order says that hearing must be scheduled for a date no later than 14 days prior to trial.
[.....]
Meanwhile, depositions have been scheduled in the case for Roy Prater and Kim Wright, who have both already pleaded guilty in the case.

Those are set for the week of February 2, 2026.

 

[Niner]

So I looked in the docket - it is not there yet - but there are more added.

Dates stay the same

Filings
Dkt! Doc Type Description Filer Filing Date Source
684 Order order granting the state's motion to reconsider order granting defendant's unnumbered motion to enforce order granting discovery of facts and data underlying fbi dna testing Anderson, Kathy 01/13/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

685 Order (115, 115a, & 115b) order denying defendant's motion in limine to exclude admission of gruesome and highliy prejudicial photographs of the deceased and to limit the use of photographs to relevant, nonprejudicial, and nonduplicative evidence; defendant's motion #115a to preclude admission of color and cumulative images; and defendant's supplemental motion #115b Anderson, Kathy 01/13/2026 eFile: PeachCourt

686 Order ORDER - court production order- to appear 2/2/26- 2/4/2026 for depositions 01/14/2026 Manual


link: Document Access and Electronic Filing