CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — For the first time, the family of Carroll County teen Candace Chrzan is speaking publicly about her death, as the man accused in her killing prepares to return to court next week.
Don Nunz, Candace’s grandfather, gave Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter an exclusive look inside his home, showing what the family has been holding onto since her death.
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“Her letterman jacket is still hanging there,” Nunz said, holding back tears as he showed Kleinpeter Candace’s room.
For five years, the family has preserved everything she left behind, from her drawings to her belongings, keeping her memory alive.
In March 2021, Nunz says his family received the worst news of their lives.
Investigators say Candace was shot in the head while friends were shooting targets in a yard. When the gun jammed, another teen, Jeremy Gray, allegedly tried to clear it, and it accidentally discharged, killing her.
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Gray was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, but in 2023 the charges were upgraded to murder.
Nearly five years after Gray’s arrest, the case continues. Nunz says he is speaking out now because he believes the investigation was mishandled from the start.
“If they would have investigated it and looked at it as a homicide and not an accident, they would have found out a lot more. They talked about seeing bruises on her arms. Her brand-new western boots were scrubbed up like she had been dragged on the gravel,” he said.
Just like the letterman jacket that still hangs in her room, Nunz says he will hold on to every piece of Candace’s life and memory until justice is served.
Nunz believes Jeremy Gray is responsible and wants him to spend the rest of his life behind bars. However, he says there is still a possibility Gray could take a plea deal.
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m. in front of Judge John Simpson. Officials confirm it will be a non-jury bench hearing. Don says he and other family members plan to be there, filling the courtroom.
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