Bill Crane

And Tex brought me to lunch at the Corey headquarters building, the old Georgia power complex on Martin Luther King. And I walked into the conference room at the back and there's this elegant woman with a large hat on.

And Tex brought me to lunch at the Corey headquarters building, the old Georgia power complex on Martin Luther King. And I walked into the conference room at the back and there's this elegant woman with a large hat on.

laying out, I love Chick-fil-A, I'm an Atlantan, but laying out a spread of Chick-fil-A like I'd never seen with family serving bowls and more of the carrot, enough of the carrot raisin salad to feed the church. And Mr. Corey sat at the table with the head and she sat to his side. And I thought she was, in that first instance, an administrative assistant. They were obviously very friendly.

laying out, I love Chick-fil-A, I'm an Atlantan, but laying out a spread of Chick-fil-A like I'd never seen with family serving bowls and more of the carrot, enough of the carrot raisin salad to feed the church. And Mr. Corey sat at the table with the head and she sat to his side. And I thought she was, in that first instance, an administrative assistant. They were obviously very friendly.

And then Tex came in and introduced me, this is my wife. Or actually, fiance, I think at that time. They weren't married yet when I first met her. And then got to know them over the course of the years they were together. Bill recalls the day he heard the news. I've received a phone call from a reporter editor with the Fulton Daily Report, Jonathan Ringel, who told me Tex MacGyver was dead.

And then Tex came in and introduced me, this is my wife. Or actually, fiance, I think at that time. They weren't married yet when I first met her. And then got to know them over the course of the years they were together. Bill recalls the day he heard the news. I've received a phone call from a reporter editor with the Fulton Daily Report, Jonathan Ringel, who told me Tex MacGyver was dead.

And this was the day after the shooting. And I said, I'm not family, but I'm pretty close. And I think if that happened, I would have heard from Sheriff Howard Sill in Putnam County or one of the people in this circle of friends we're talking about. And he said, well, I've got it on pretty reliable authority.

And this was the day after the shooting. And I said, I'm not family, but I'm pretty close. And I think if that happened, I would have heard from Sheriff Howard Sill in Putnam County or one of the people in this circle of friends we're talking about. And he said, well, I've got it on pretty reliable authority.

So I said, well, I'm going to call, text his phones, and I'm going to reach out to Sheriff Sill because I'm pretty sure they were at the plantation at what I call the ranch that weekend and, you know, get back to you. So I called, and text did not answer his phone or any text or email that day. And I finally reach Howard Sill, the Putnam County Sheriff, and he says, text, had a really bad night.

So I said, well, I'm going to call, text his phones, and I'm going to reach out to Sheriff Sill because I'm pretty sure they were at the plantation at what I call the ranch that weekend and, you know, get back to you. So I called, and text did not answer his phone or any text or email that day. And I finally reach Howard Sill, the Putnam County Sheriff, and he says, text, had a really bad night.

There's been a shooting. He's not dead. Diane McGyver's dead. And he didn't have a great deal of detail at that point in time. So I was like, wow. So of course I called Jonathan back to tell him Tex was alive, but that wasn't the end of the story. And by that time it had unfolded. I think the AJC had the first item about the death. So I then started trying to reach Tex.

There's been a shooting. He's not dead. Diane McGyver's dead. And he didn't have a great deal of detail at that point in time. So I was like, wow. So of course I called Jonathan back to tell him Tex was alive, but that wasn't the end of the story. And by that time it had unfolded. I think the AJC had the first item about the death. So I then started trying to reach Tex.

It was within 48 hours of the incident that Tex and I first had our conversation. He was very emotional. He was concerned on several fronts and he, I would say at that point in this process we're gonna talk about, he was still what the person I consider to be Tex, he was still of sound mind and kind of went through a narrative that made sense to me, which I then repeated to the news media outlets.

It was within 48 hours of the incident that Tex and I first had our conversation. He was very emotional. He was concerned on several fronts and he, I would say at that point in this process we're gonna talk about, he was still what the person I consider to be Tex, he was still of sound mind and kind of went through a narrative that made sense to me, which I then repeated to the news media outlets.

He was emotionally distraught, he cried, he was, you know, He was not apologetic and he took no responsibility for what had happened, but he basically laid out what had happened and why. And then I think within 24 hours of that, he let me know that he had a conversation with Mr. Corey in Jake Grover's kitchen that Mr. Corey had asked for that didn't go well.

He was emotionally distraught, he cried, he was, you know, He was not apologetic and he took no responsibility for what had happened, but he basically laid out what had happened and why. And then I think within 24 hours of that, he let me know that he had a conversation with Mr. Corey in Jake Grover's kitchen that Mr. Corey had asked for that didn't go well.

And he kind of relayed the circumstances of that. And that was kind of the first instance in the process of me going, why would you go to speak with Mr. Corey to tell him, as he did, on advice of counsel, I'm not gonna answer any of your questions. I was incredulous.

And he kind of relayed the circumstances of that. And that was kind of the first instance in the process of me going, why would you go to speak with Mr. Corey to tell him, as he did, on advice of counsel, I'm not gonna answer any of your questions. I was incredulous.

And knowing, again, the nature of this close circle of friends and friendship, and Mr. Corey was at the wedding, and I think he gave Diane away, if I'm remembering correctly. And that was the first of many moments where I just couldn't quite understand what I was being told.

And knowing, again, the nature of this close circle of friends and friendship, and Mr. Corey was at the wedding, and I think he gave Diane away, if I'm remembering correctly. And that was the first of many moments where I just couldn't quite understand what I was being told.