Lawyer: Accused Houston Co. Couple are 'Good People' | News

William and Cheri Cox's attorney says they are stunned and confused by being charged with stealing more than $500,000 from an elderly neighbor.

James Rockefeller of the Rockefeller Law Center says the Coxes are "good people, who were trying to help someone out in the neighborhood."

A Houston County grand jury last week accused the Coxes of more than 30 counts of stealing money from 80-year-old Herbert Marquiss, who has dementia.

Rockefeller says Marquiss gave them the money voluntarily, because he was grateful for their care.

According to Rockefeller, Marquiss mostly interacted with Cheri Cox. He doesn't understand why William Cox is charged with any crime.

"He had very little interaction with the victim, or purported victim," he said.

Rockefeller says William Cox was involved with only one of the money transactions with Marquiss.

"They sold a boat, and purchased another boat... Mr. Herb (Marquiss) was there with them, and Mr. Herb participated in the transactions."

Rockefeller says Marquiss described Cheri as "the daughter he never had."

He says their relationship was a friendship that involved her caring for him, including two times when Marquiss was hospitalized. 

He says after Marquiss was released from the hospital, doctors did not indicate that he was incompetent to make decisions. 

"If Mr. Herb is incompetent to give the Coxes what he gave them, which certainly the law might determine from a civil perspective, but from a criminal perspective, why should the Coxes be on notice if the doctors are allowing him to go home without sending him to a nursing home?"

No arraignment hearing has been scheduled for the Coxes, but Rockefeller says they will plead not guilty.

They are free from the Houston County jail on bond.