Mary Lee Gray, a 40-year-old woman from Tallahassee, Florida, was fatally shot on January 8, 2017, during a drug transaction at an apartment complex on Holton Street. At the time she was acting as a confidential informant for the Leon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and was attempting to buy crack cocaine from Rickey Stevens. An argument occurred and, as Mary tried to drive away, she was shot.

Rickey Stevens, 25, was arrested and charged in connection with the killing. At trial he was convicted of manslaughter and of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; the jury also found he violated probation on a prior burglary charge. He was sentenced to a total of 52 years in prison, including a mandatory 30-year term for manslaughter, 10 years for the firearm conviction, and 12 years for the probation violation after about three hours of jury deliberation.

Mary’s family has filed a negligence lawsuit under Rachel’s Law against the LCSO, alleging her identity as an informant had been compromised and that she was placed in dangerous situations despite documented struggles with drug addiction and mental health issues. The suit says the LCSO knew of Mary’s mental health problems as early as May 2015, when her mother requested a welfare check.

Does anyone have information about Mary’s work as an informant or the Holton Street transaction that could help clarify what happened?