A 17-year-old Florida teen named Collin Griffith has been found not guilty of murdering his mother after he claimed self-defense. Griffith's mother, Catherine, was stabbed to death at Collin's grandmother's house back in September 2024. In 2023, Griffit also fatally shot his father, which was also ruled self-defense after he was initially charged with first-degree murder.
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According to Gulf Coast News, Collin Griffith ran away from his mother's house following an argument in 2024. He refused to come home, choosing to stay with his grandmother in Florida Keys. Reportedly, on September 8, his mother Catherine drove to Collin in an attempt to bring him back.
Neighbors witnessed mother and son argue outside the house and then saw Griffith grabbing his mother by the hair and dragging her inside. Just two hours later, Collin called authorities and said that he had a fight with his mother and that she was "bleeding from the neck."
Charged And Acquitted
Initially, Collin Griffith told police that Catherine had fallen on a knife. However, a medical examiner ruled that her injuries were not caused by an accidental fall. This led to Griffith being charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping.
It was also found that Collin had been arrested before and charged with domestic battery. Bodycam footage obtained by FOX 4 showed Collin Griffith talking to his grandmother in a troubled fashion following his arrest in 2024.
"I was saying, 'Mom, I'm not a psychopath. I'm not this murderer. I'm just trying to peacefully leave or peacefully coexist,'" Collin said. "She kept telling me to shut up and shut up, and when I wouldn't shut up, she hit me." Allegedly, Collin also told police that he didn't feel safe at home with his mother and that he was either going to "kill himself or my mom," according to PEOPLE.
Collin's grandmother revealed that her daughter, Catherine, had a history of violence with Collin during the trial. The defense argued that Catherine wanted to die by "suicide by son." After 12 hours of deliberation, a jury found Collin Giffrith not guilty of murder and kidnapping. Alongside him stood his grandmother and aunt, who were supportive of him.
Father Killed
According to the New York Post, Collin Griffith fatally shot his father, Charles Robert Griffith, back on February 14, 2023. Collin told police at the time that his father had cornered him. This prompted him to shoot his father once in the chest and once in the head.
He was charged with first-degree murder, but the charges were dropped only a month afterward. Reportedly, Oklahoma authorities were unable to find any evidence that could dispute Collin's claims of self-defense. He was then placed in his mother's care a year after he killed his father.
Following his acquittal on Wednesday, February 5, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated that they still believe that Griffith murdered his mother.
