A 17-year-old accused of murdering his mother allegedly tried to tell her he’s ‘not a psychopath’ and ‘not this murderer’.
Collin Griffith went to live with his mom Catherine Griffith in Florida in early 2024 following the fatal shooting of his father in February 2023.
The teenager was initially arrested in connection with his father’s passing but it was believed he acted in self-defense and so Griffith was never convicted of any crime.
On September 8, 2024, Polk County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the teenager who reported his mom had ‘fallen’ on a knife and was bleeding from the neck.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement: “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.”
Months before his mom’s passing, Griffith is reported by PEOPLE as having been charged with domestic battery.
FOX 4 Now has since released footage from body cameras worn by various members of authority. Take a look below:
One clip reported as being from an arrest in November 2023 sees Griffith’s grandmother speaking to someone in the back of a police vehicle – allegedly Griffith.
The video sees a voice say: “I was saying, ‘Mom, I’m not a psychopath. I’m not this murderer. I’m just trying to peacefully leave or peacefully coexist. We’ll just figure something out. She kept telling me to shut up and shut up, and when I wouldn’t shut up, she hit me.”
However, his grandmother contradicts his recollection of events, responding: “No, that’s not what happened. You never said you wanted to peacefully coexist.”
Another part of the body camera footage shows Griffith’s grandmother explaining he asked to go into ‘foster care’ rather than returning to his mother’s home the day before his release.
In another video Griffith can be heard telling authorities: “I’m in a constant state of fight or flight. I don’t know, If I think she’s going to do something, even if she’s not, I might act. I’m not going to go crazy or anything but I’m not sure.”
When asked if he wasn’t sure if he’d hurt his mom, Griffith added: “Only if she tries to hurt me.”
The probable cause affidavit also claims Griffith allegedly told police if he was returned back to his mom’s, he would ‘kill [himself] or [his] mom.”
Grifftith has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder. He remains in custody at the Polk County Jail.
State attorney for the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Brian Hass, revealed Griffith is set to be tried as an adult ‘based upon the egregious facts and circumstances of this case’.
