Teenager Arrested for Mother’s Murder in Florida Previously Cleared in Father’s Death in Oklahoma

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A 17-year-old, previously cleared of charges in his father’s death in Oklahoma, has been accused of fatally stabbing his mother in Florida, officials reported this week. Collin Griffith faces a first-degree murder charge for the attack that took place in The Hamptons, a senior living community where his grandmother resides, about 50 miles east of Tampa.

Griffith was apprehended in Polk County following the incident which occurred last Sunday. During a distressing 911 call placed by the teen himself, he suggested that a prolonged altercation with his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, led to her accidental death. Yet, Sheriff Grady Judd from Polk County pointed out during a recent press conference that Griffith’s account did not coincide with the crime scene, noting particular inconsistencies such as the home’s unusual tidiness and the victim’s severe neck wounds.

The swift apprehension of Griffith was facilitated by his calm demeanor and blood-stained clothing when deputies arrived, raising immediate suspicion. Sheriff Judd remarked on the teen’s unsettling composure and lack of remorse, as well as his insistence on his legal rights the moment he was questioned.

Disturbingly, this is not Griffith’s first encounter with law enforcement concerning violent acts. He was implicated in the death of his father on Valentine’s Day 2023, where 15-year-old Griffith allegedly shot his father twice claiming self-defense. The charges were subsequently dropped after Oklahoma authorities could not conclusively discredit his self-defense claim.

Following the Oklahoma incident, Griffith relocated to Charlotte County, Florida, to live with his mother, where his troubling behavior persisted. He was committed involuntarily for mental health concerns, during which he reportedly issued threats against himself and his mother. His violent tendencies appeared again two months later leading to his arrest for domestic violence after a dispute over video games.

More recently, Griffith and his mother were involved in a heated exchange outside his grandmother’s residence in Auburndale concerning household chores. Witnesses last saw Griffith forcefully taking his mother inside by pulling her hair. Hours later, Catherine Griffith was found dead in her home.

Given the severity of the allegations and his previous involvement in a fatal incident, authorities expect Griffith to be tried as an adult. Sheriff Judd has pledged full cooperation with Oklahoma officials to ensure any relevant evidence from the Florida case is shared, underscoring the potential risk Griffith could pose if released.

Amid expressing his concern over the situation, Sheriff Judd voiced deep unease about the potential for future violence. “He has taken the lives of his mother and father,” Judd said, stressing the gravity of the threat Griffith might still pose, particularly towards his grandmother, with whom he was living.

Reflecting on the case, Sheriff Judd attributed Catherine’s demise to her dedication to supporting her troubled son, solemnly noting, “If Oklahoma had been able to act, Catherine would be alive today. She paid the ultimate price for trying to be a responsible mother.”