OXFORD, Mich. – The former boss of the mother of the Oxford High School shooter took the stand at her trial on Tuesday, and shared details about their interactions over the phone and in person on the day of the shooting.
Andrew Smith, the COO of a real estate company, served as the direct supervisor of Jennifer Crumbley when she worked as a marketing director for the same organization in 2021. Crumbley was fired from her job a few days after her son murdered four students and injured seven other people on Nov. 30, 2021.
Crumbley herself is facing four involuntary manslaughter charges for the shooting, accused of failing to take steps that could have prevented the mass shooting. Smith was asked to take the stand on day four of her trial on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
The former boss discussed Crumbley’s behavior on the day of the shooting, as well as text messages sent between them that day. Here are some key points from his testimony.
Former boss recalls mother’s actions as shooting unfolded
Smith testified that he was driving when he received a text message from Crumbley at 10:05 a.m. on Nov. 30, 2021. In the text, Crumbley told Smith that she had to go to her son’s school to meet with a counselor, and that she would return by 11:30 a.m. or noon at the latest.
She also sent a photo of the now-infamous math worksheet on which the shooter had made violent drawings.
---> What we learned about Oxford counselor’s meeting with parents, shooter amid mother’s trial
Sometime around noon that day, Smith said he saw Crumbley at the office in a copy room/storage area. Smith asked how she was doing, and Crumbley mentioned that she had to get her son counseling -- though she didn’t say she was asked to do it that day, the former boss testified. Smith said the mother appeared down, and said she felt she was failing her son.
Shortly after interacting with Crumbley in the copy room, Smith took part in two meetings. While on a Zoom call at around 1 p.m., Smith said he heard a loud commotion in the hall outside of his office. Crumbley’s office was located about 10-12 feet away from his.
Smith examined what was going on and said he saw Crumbley running out of her office and down the hall. She was reportedly saying there was an active shooter at her child’s school, to which Smith responded, “Go, go.”
Crumbley did not return to the office that day.
At 1:23 p.m., Crumbley texted Smith that her family’s gun and bullets were gone. Smith responded with a text saying he was “praying everything is OK!”
Smith then walked down to the human resources office to show the HR director that text message from Crumbley. He testified Tuesday that he received a call from Crumbley while in the HR office. Smith answered the call and put Crumbley on speakerphone.
Crumbley called Smith while driving in the car. She reportedly said she was trying to get to her son’s school. Smith said he vividly remembers hearing sirens blaring in the background while on the call.
Smith testified that he believes Crumbley said something about how a family gun was missing. Both Smith and the HR director told Crumbley to call police. Crumbley replied that her husband already had.
Smith said the phone call was short, and ended with him and the HR director offering verbal support to Crumbley.
Smith said he remained with the HR director for some time, and it was then that he received more text messages from Crumbley. She sent multiple messages in succession that Smith classified as “alarming.” Crumbley texted that she thought her son was the school shooter, and that she needed a lawyer.
Her former boss testified that he didn’t respond right away, and that he went home at some point to be with his family. He received another text from Crumbley a few hours later, and responded to her a few hours after that.
Smith said Crumbley was terminated from her position maybe two or three days after the shooting occurred.
Text messages between Crumbley, Smith on day of shooting
Smith and Crumbley exchanged a series of texts in the morning and afternoon of Nov. 30, 2021. The timeline of the texts and their contents are laid out below.
Crumbley had deleted all of the text messages between them except for the last three texts -- including two sent by her, and one sent by Smith. The complete thread of texts were given to prosecutors by Smith, however, who had taken screenshots of the text interactions.
Those screenshots were shared in court.
10:05 a.m.
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Crumbley to Smith: I have to go to my kids school. Counselor just called and this is what I’m dealing with. I’ll be back by 11:30-12 at the latest.
A photo of the math worksheet is sent with or soon after this text.
1:23 p.m.
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Crumbley to Smith: The gun is gone and so are the bullets
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Smith to Crumbley: I’m praying everything is ok!
Phone call between Crumbley, Smith and HR director ensues.
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Crumbley to Smith: Omg Andy he’s going to kill himself he must be the shooter
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Crumbley to Smith: I need a lawyer at substation with police
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Crumbley to Smith: [Shooter’s name] did it
3:39 p.m.
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Crumbley to Smith: I need my job. Please don’t judge me for what my son did
5:47 p.m.
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Smith to Crumbley: I can’t even begin to understand what you’re going thru. I’m praying for you. I asked [corporate counsel] to txt you some attorney recommendations.
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Crumbley to Smith: They are taking my phone.
Smith’s full testimony
You can hear all of Smith’s statements from the witness stand in the video below.
---> Live updates: Day 4 of trial for mother of Oxford High School shooter (Jan. 30)
---> What we learned about Oxford counselor’s meeting with parents, shooter amid mother’s trial
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