17-year-old Collin Griffith of Polk County, Florida, has been found not guilty of fatally stabbing his mother. On Wednesday, February 6, 2025, a jury announced they could not find Griffith guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of intentionally murdering his mother, Catherine “Cathy” Griffith. This verdict comes nearly two years after the death of his father, Charles Robert Griffith, who was fatally shot in their home on February 14, 2023.
The Incident
On September 8, 2024, at Griffith’s grandmother’s home, an alleged argument broke out between Griffith and his mother. According to him, his mother lunged forward with a knife, intending to stab him, but she fell on it instead. At the time of her death, a medical examiner determined Catherine’s wounds were not consistent with an accidental fall. After the examiner’s ruling, Griffth was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Collin’s defense came to his rescue, arguing he acted in self-defense, and there is no evidence to suggest he was holding his mother in the home against her will. However, some witnesses can attest to that. Witnesses informed the detectives who were investigating the death that before the stabbing, the pair were shouting at each other outside the residence. They saw Collin grab his mom by her hair and drag her inside as she repeatedly begged to be let go.
The grandmother, Susan Detman, testified on her grandson’s behalf. She claimed her daughter had been violent towards Collin multiple times before, even one time when she pointed a gun at him. His attorney, Amy Thornhill, stated in her closing argument that there was no way of knowing what happened between him and his mother inside the home that day. She explained Collin was trying to escape his mother, so he stayed at his grandmother’s.
Thornhill continued, “Isn’t it reasonable to believe that Cathy, in her anger, her desperation to make Collin come home, that she picked up a knife and threatened him with it?” She suggested his mother wanted to die by the suicide of her son. If nothing else, that is a bold and classless statement made on behalf of the defendant. The defense’s argument is not justifiable, and the jury may find him not guilty.
The Accused’s Violent History
In an affidavit, the police stated Collin had gone to live with his mother in 2023 after the death of his father, which Collin is responsible for. He was initially arrested for his father’s death, but authorities were unable to prove it was anything beyond self-defense. Even though he shot him twice, once in the chest and once in the head, that was not enough to convict him.
The teen was allegedly abused by both his mother and father. He is reported to have PTSD and several related health problems. When he lived with his father on their farm in Oklahoma, he was only allowed one meal a day and was not permitted to leave the farm. As for his mother, she would allegedly verbally abuse him through threats. It seems he fought with them constantly, and each time, a fight led to their demise.
Not Guilty Verdict
After the jury announced a not guilty verdict, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced they still believe Collin murdered his mother in cold blood. He said, “The jury determined that they could not convict him beyond and to the exclusion of all reasonable doubt.” He continued, “During our investigation, detectives found witnesses that believe he also murdered his father in Oklahoma. That investigation is ongoing.”
While the jury found Collin not guilty, by no means he is innocent. He has taken two people’s lives, the lives of those who are supposed to be closest to him. Whether he was abused or not, it seems fairly odd that the same situation happened twice. And each time, his “self-defense” was multiple wounds. His father was shot twice, and his mother was stabbed twice. How could his mother fall on a knife in the same spot both times?
