Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that as his investigators began looking into the case they uncovered several startling facts, most notably that Collin Griffith killed his father just last year while staying with him in Oklahoma.
A Florida teenager who killed his father in what he claimed was an act of self-defense is now charged with his mother's murder.
Collin Griffith, 17, is accused of stabbing his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, in the neck during an altercation at his grandmother's house in the Hamptons, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO). The Hamptons is a resort-life community for individuals over the age of 55 in Central Florida.
The recent high school graduate initially told police that "he had a fight with mom and she is bleeding from the neck" on the afternoon of Sept. 8, according to the PCSO.
Officers arrived at the scene to find Griffith calm, collected and covered in blood, according to the PCSO. The first thing he allegedly said to the responding officers as his mother lay inside bleeding to death was: “I know my rights, I want an attorney.”
Detectives launched an investigation after reviewing the murder scene and soon learned that Catherine could not have died in the manner suggested by her son.
"The next morning at the medical examiner's office, after the autopsy, the medical examiner said it is not reasonable or possible that she died the way that he said she did, just didn't happen," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference on Wednesday.
In addition, Judd says that "there were witnesses outside the mobile home that actually saw Collin drag his mother into the house by the hair on her head."
Griffith did not call police until two hours after neighbors allegedly saw him drag his mother into the house, said Judd, who also noted that the residence was still neat and orderly despite the defendant's claim that he and his mother had been involved in a physical altercation.
Judd said that as his investigators began looking into the case they uncovered several startling facts, most notably that Griffiths killed his father just last year while staying with him in Oklahoma.
Not only that, but a copy of the probable cause affidavit filed in Lincoln County shows that Griffith's claims and actions were remarkably similar on the days he allegedly killed his mother and father.
Griffiths called 911 that day as well and "stated there had been an argument, and Charles had pulled a knife on him and chased him through the house," according to the affidavit,
"The defendant stated he had been cornered in the bedroom by his father where he picked up a gun and shot Charles twice," reads the affidavit.
Investigators soon questioned Griffth's version of events after arriving at the scene and probing the matter, but attempts to interview the then-15-year-old proved fruitless after he continually invoked his Fifth Amendment right to counsel, according to the affidavit.
Charges against Griffith were dropped in that case when officials could not gather enough evidence to discredit the teenager's claim of self-defense, said Judd, so the boy moved to Port Charlotte to live with his mother.
Local law enforcement arrested Griffith for the first time in November 2023 and charged him with domestic violence after he allegedly beat and stomped his mother, according to Judd.
A few months later, in February 2024, Griffith ran away to his grandmother's home in the Hamptons after he and his mother argued, according to Judd,
"The grandmother said, 'Hey, we don't feel safe with him around,' so our deputies, who found him up here as a missing persons reported in Charlotte County, turned him over to DCF," Judd said at the press conference, 'Two days later, on the 14th of February, the anniversary of him killing his dad a year ago, he's reunited with his mother."
Judd continued: "Collin made the statement that, 'I don't want to go home. I'll use any force necessary to avoid it, including killing my mother.'"
The fatal incident this weekend began in much the same manner, said Judd, with Griffith fleeing to his grandmother's home after arguing with his mother over chores. In both instances, the grandmother was at her second home in the Florida Keys.
Catherine arrived at the home to get her son and two hours later was dead.
“Collin Griffith is a violent predator — he has now killed both his father and his mother. We will hold him accountable in Polk County— we will do everything we can to keep him separated from civil society,” said Judd.
Now, in addition to the ongoing investigation in Florida, Judd said that he hopes authorities in Oklahoma will reopen their investigation into Charles' death.
Griffith has not yet been arraigned but Judd said that he is suggesting the 17-year-old college student be tried as an adult.
His grandmother did not respond to a request for comment.
