Woita and Gregory had a falling out over a marijuana growing operation Woita had funded. Woita believed Gregory owed him money. That day, Woita met Gregory, with friends keeping an eye on them from a distance. They went to Gregory’s house.

Woita called his friends and said Gregory had a gun. Later, he called his stepbrother saying he was fine. But he stopped answering calls. His burned-out car was found later that night.

Two days later, police saw Gregory and his wife, Jody, throwing garbage bags into a truck. Inside were marijuana plants, a bloodstained cement block, bloody towels, and a bullet casing. They were arrested.

Gregory was charged with murder, among other crimes. Jody was charged with helping him hide evidence. Gregory confessed to killing Woita but claimed self-defense. He said Woita grabbed his gun, and it fired accidentally. He said he then dumped Woita’s body and the gun at sea.

A jury found Gregory guilty of second-degree murder, sentencing him to 15 years to life. Jody pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Woita’s body was never found, but evidence strongly suggests he was murdered.