Polk County Sheriff's Office Arrests 17-Year-Old for Murdering His Mother

Published: September 11, 2024 @ 2:45 PM

By Ciara Perez, Investigative Reporter, iSkyCreations — News & Media

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Arrests 17-Year-Old for Murdering His Mother

Auburndale, FL — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 17-year-old Collin Griffith for the murder of his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, following a fatal stabbing at their home on Hewlett Drive on Sunday, September 8, 2024.

At approximately 6:00 PM, Griffith called 9–1–1, claiming that during a heated argument, his mother lunged at him with a knife and accidentally fell on it, causing a fatal stab wound to her neck. Polk County Fire Rescue and deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, where they found Catherine Griffith deceased.

As deputies questioned Collin about the incident, he became uncooperative and requested a lawyer. However, as the investigation progressed, detectives noticed several inconsistencies between Collin’s account and the physical evidence.

Witnesses reported seeing Collin and his mother arguing outside the home before the stabbing. They told detectives that Collin had grabbed his mother by the hair and dragged her into the house, despite her pleading, “Let me go.”

Further details emerged during the investigation, including statements from Collin’s grandmother, who revealed a history of violent confrontations between Collin and his mother. The grandmother also disclosed that Collin had previously been arrested for the shooting death of his father in Oklahoma in February 2023, though those charges were later dropped. Additionally, Collin was charged with domestic violence battery against his mother in November 2023 by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

The Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Catherine Griffith’s death was caused by a deep penetrating knife wound to the neck, which they concluded was inconsistent with Collin’s claim of an accidental injury.

“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,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.

Collin Griffith has been charged with first-degree murder (Capital Felony), kidnapping (F1), and violation of a no-contact order (M2). He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Stay tuned to iSkyCreations — News & Media for updates.