LaGrange homicide update: Tonya Bray, mother of AU football player Quan Bray, fatally shot; 1 in custody

The mother of Auburn University football player Quan Bray was fatally shot in LaGrange Sunday during a car chase that ended in a wreck. Bray’s father is charged with murder in connection with the death, authorities said.

Tonya Bray, 37, of LaGrange died after being shot as she drove down Ragland Street around 9:45 a.m. Jeffery Jones, 37, of Greenville, Ga., turned himself in at the Troup County Jail within an hour of her death, said LaGrange Police Capt. Dale Strickland.

Moments before Bray wrecked, witnesses saw a green car chasing her silver, four-door vehicle down Ragland Street. At one point, the driver of the green car pulled up beside Bray and fired several shots at her, Strickland said.

“That more than likely caused the victim to crash,” the captain added.

Police found Bray when they responded to what they believed to be only a single-vehicle accident on Ragland Street, the captain added.

“When the officer got there, they found a female occupant,” Strickland said. “We went up to the vehicle and the officer found the female unconscious and she had a gunshot wound.”

Bray was taken to the West Georgia Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Strickland said she died from a gunshot wound.

Within an hour of doctors pronouncing Bray dead, Jones went to the Troup County Jail, Strickland said.

Charles Flowers, Tonya Bray’s brother and Quan Bray’s high school coach, said Jones had been with Tonya Bray since Quan’s birth. Strickland said the parents had been living separately for about six months.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Flowers said. “I just know that I got a call this morning.”

Quan Bray played quarterback his junior year at Callaway High before transferring to Troup County his senior season. Auburn football coach Gene Chizik has called Bray one of Georgia’s most exciting players, adding that Bray could play running back, receiver, wildcat quarterback and more.

This story was originally published July 3, 2011 at 5:53 PM with the headline "LaGrange homicide update: Tonya Bray, mother of AU football player Quan Bray, fatally shot; 1 in custody."