Mia Rodgers was murdered in her in bed in March. She was shot in the chest by her custodial grandfather and lived an hour before she died
A suicidal South Carolina man was sentenced to life in prison for killing his bedridden wife and their 9-year-old granddaughter, saying he wanted to spare them the pain of living without him.
Ronald Gregory shot his wife, 71-year-old Barbara Gregory, and his granddaughter Mia Rodgers, as they slept in the early hours of March 21.
Gregory told detectives that Mia survived for an hour, but instead of calling for help, Gregory held Mia as she bled to death, prosecutor Kevin Brackett said.
The prosecutor recounted some of the girl's last words as people in the courtroom gasped and sobbed Monday.
'Paw paw, when am I going to stop hurting?' Brackett said, quoting the girl.
After his granddaughter died, Gregory went to the bank and withdrew money. In multiple withdrawals in the three days before and after the murders he took out a total of $40,000.
The former power company employee then texted his daughter Kristie, Mia's aunt, that there would be money for her should anything happen to him.
He then called 911, asked the operator to send police to his home and shot himself twice in the chest with the same 9 millimeter pistol he used to kill his wife and Mia. But he survived.
Gregory, 68, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to two counts of murder. He was sentenced to life without parole.
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SICK: Ronald Gregory, 68 shot and killed his 9-year-old granddaughter and bedridden wife because he didn't want them to live without him, he claimed. He has been sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty but mentally ill Monday to two counts of murder in the shootings at his home
The plea means he will get extra mental health counseling in prison.
Gregory acted as his own lawyer. He said little in court and did not apologize.
He showed no emotion either.
'In over 20 years of prosecuting, this is just a ghastly case. The thought of what the child went through is unimaginable,' Brackett said.
Gregory and his wife were in a custody battle over their granddaughter with her maternal grandparents and uncle after the girl's mother died died in November 2013 from leukemia. The pair had temporary custody at the time of the murders.
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ShareJust before she died, Gregory took his granddaughter, a 75-lb third grader, to the doctor because he was afraid she had suffered brain damage from inhaling fumes when she got some press-on fingernails, Brackett said.
The girl's other grandfather, Paul Rodgers, said the family plans a wrongful death lawsuit against Gregory for lying during the custody battle.
Gregory 'called me the morning before when he took her to the doctor and said she was fine,' Rogers said. 'If he doesn't want her to be in pain, then why shoot her?'
Mia's father, Ronald's son Kevin, cried and said nothing in court.
Watch full court proceedings at the Rock Hill Herald Online
Mia's paternal grandparents sued for custody last fall, while Mia's mother Angie lay dying of leukemia. They won temporary custody shortly before Angie died in November. Barbara, pictured, was a bedridden invalid who was shot to death shortly before her husband shot Mia
Kevin Gregory submitted this photo of himself with his daughter to court in one battle against her mother's family. In addition to a half brother by her mother, Mia also has two half-siblings on her father's side
The custody battle had been complex.
The Rodgers' daughter Angie Lee Rodgers Benoit lived with her parents and Mia when the child was born. Later Mia stayed with the Rogers while Ms Benoit was in college in Pennsylvania. She and Mia's father Kevin never married.
Shortly after she graduated college she moved to Texas with Mia, but a short time later was diagnosed with leukemia.
Last September Mia moved back in with the Rodgers, Benoit's parents, and enrolled in school in South Carolina while her mother was in the hospital.
Benoit died in November.
Kevin's parents won temporary custody of the child in October, even though Mia's mom Angie wanted to terminate Kevin's parental rights before death.
According to the Rodgers in a March interview, Kevin did not pay child support and would disappear from his daughter' life for months at a time. He has two other children by other women in addition to Mia.
In her will Angie left custody of Mia and her son, Mia's half-brother Alexander, to her brother Eric Rodgers. The boy now lives in Alabama with his uncle, who was fighting for custody of Mia when she died.
Eric had filed for custody in January and said his sister wanted her two children to be raised together.
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