Backyard of Horror: Uncle’s Guilty Plea Reveals Sickening Plot Where Walmart Santa Father and Family Starved, Tortured, and Murdered Children Before Burying Their Tiny Bodies in Secret Graves, Leaving Town Stunned by Shocking Text Messages, Stun Guns, and Chilling Dog Cage Punishments

Effingham County, Georgia—What began as whispers about two missing children has erupted into one of the most shocking and disturbing family crime sagas the state has ever seen. The case, dubbed the “Backyard of Horror,” has drawn national attention after Mark Wright, the uncle of the slain children, admitted in court that he played an active role in helping his brother-in-law kill his own kids—and then hide their tiny, fragile bodies beneath the dirt of the family’s backyard.

Wright, who pleaded guilty on August 29, confessed that he assisted his brother-in-law, Elwyn Crocker Sr.—a man who once posed as a smiling Walmart Santa Claus—in the murders of Elwyn Jr., 14, in 2016, and Mary Crocker, 13, in 2018. He also admitted to helping conceal the deaths by secretly burying the children’s remains in shallow graves behind the family home, all while other relatives allegedly turned a blind eye or participated in the cruelty.

A Disturbing Family Conspiracy

The guilty plea is the third in a case that has revealed a web of unimaginable abuse, sadistic punishments, and shocking family complicity. Wright’s confession followed plea agreements from his sister, Candice Crocker—the stepmother of the children—and her boyfriend, Roy Prater. Both are already serving life sentences without parole.

Wright, who now faces 10 to 80 years in prison, avoided the death penalty by cooperating. District Attorney Robert Busbee called the plea “an important step toward accountability and justice,” but acknowledged that the road to closure for the community remains long and painful.

Also indicted were Wright’s mother, Kimberly Wright, and of course, the children’s father, Elwyn Sr.—the man at the center of this horror. Court records show he was employed as a Walmart Santa around the time of the murders, a disturbing contrast to the cheerful, jolly persona he presented in public while allegedly committing unthinkable atrocities in private.

The Horrors Inside the Home

Investigators paint a grim picture of life inside the Crocker home. Both Mary and her brother Elwyn Jr. were homeschooled, rarely seen in public, and never reported missing despite years of abuse.

Evidence revealed in court suggests that Mary, before her death in 2018, endured daily torture. According to an indictment, she was zip-tied, starved, beaten with objects, burned with hot water, and shocked with a stun gun. She was forced to live almost 24 hours a day naked inside a dog kennel. Her punishments were grotesque: failing to exercise, not finishing chores, or attempting to steal scraps of food.

A forensic pathologist testified in May 2025 that Mary’s body mass index was an almost impossible 8.6. “I’ve never seen such a low number,” said Dr. Edmond Donaghue, who concluded that the girl likely starved to death.

Elwyn Jr.’s remains, discovered alongside Mary’s, were too decomposed to determine a cause of death, but investigators believe he suffered the same brutal abuse as his sister.

Photos later uncovered from Elwyn Sr.’s phone allegedly showed the children emaciated, bruised, and locked in cages—haunting images prosecutors say prove the depth of the cruelty.

Shocking Text Messages

The case grew even darker when investigators unearthed text messages exchanged among family members. In one message, Elwyn Sr. reportedly texted his mother-in-law, “Almost done burying Mary’s.” The reply was chillingly casual: “Cool! How deep?”

In another exchange, Elwyn Sr. allegedly confessed to his wife that their daughter might have been “hit in the head too many times.” Prosecutors say these text conversations reveal a family culture of cruelty, complicity, and complete lack of empathy.

Missed Warnings

Court records also revealed that the family had been on the radar of child protective services as far back as 2012. The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services investigated alleged abuse against Elwyn Jr. and even mandated therapy and parenting classes for Elwyn Sr. and Candice. But the case was closed in 2013, allowing the cycle of abuse to continue unchecked.

Tragically, no missing persons reports were ever filed for the children. Their absence from school and society went unnoticed until a concerned individual questioned Mary’s disappearance in late 2018. That tip eventually led police to the backyard, where both bodies were discovered on December 20, 2018.

Survivors and Justice

A surviving child was removed from the home and placed into foster care after authorities discovered the horror. Investigators reported that this child too was subjected to neglect and confinement, though they survived the ordeal.

While Wright, Candice, and Prater have all pleaded guilty, Elwyn Sr. and Kimberly Wright continue to maintain their innocence. They face a mountain of charges including multiple counts of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated sexual battery, false imprisonment, and concealing a death.

Their trials, delayed by years of hearings over evidence admissibility—including text messages and DNA evidence—have not yet been scheduled. Prosecutors are pushing for the jury to see every gruesome detail, including the text exchanges and the stomach-turning photos of the children.

A Community Haunted

Effingham County has been shaken to its core. Neighbors who once saw the Crocker family as quiet and unassuming now grapple with the realization that unimaginable evil was unfolding just feet away. The image of a Walmart Santa, embodying joy and innocence in public, now collides with the revelation of a sadistic father burying his children in secret graves.

“This case has weighed heavily on our county for many years,” DA Busbee said. “The truth is difficult, the crimes are horrifying, but justice for Mary and Elwyn Jr. must prevail.”

As the remaining defendants await trial, the community continues to wrestle with grief, anger, and disbelief. The shallow graves in the backyard have become a symbol of unimaginable betrayal—not just of children by their parents, but of a society that failed to notice their cries for help.

The “Backyard of Horror” is no longer just a local case. It stands as a chilling reminder of the hidden darkness that can lurk behind closed doors, even in the most ordinary-looking homes. And it leaves one haunting question hanging in the Georgia air: how could this have happened at all?