In a shocking case that has gripped two states, a 17-year-old boy is accused of killing his mother in Polk County, Florida, just one year after being accused of murdering his father in Oklahoma. The accused, Collin Griffith, is now facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, in what authorities have described as a violent and disturbing pattern of behavior.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the tragic incident unfolded in the home of Collin’s grandmother in Auburndale, Florida, on September 8, 2024. Sheriff Grady Judd, during a press conference, revealed that the teenager had an argument with his mother about chores, leading him to flee to his grandmother’s house. His grandmother was away at the time, vacationing in the Florida Keys.
At around 4 p.m. that day, Catherine Griffith arrived at the house, attempting to bring her son back home. Neighbors later reported seeing a heated argument between the two outside the home. In a chilling account, witnesses said they saw Collin grab his mother by the hair and drag her inside the residence.
Approximately two hours later, at 6 p.m., Collin made a startling call to 911. He informed dispatchers that he had “a fight with mom, and she is bleeding from the neck.” When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered the horrific aftermath: Catherine Griffith had been stabbed twice in the neck with a kitchen knife. Collin reportedly surrendered to deputies immediately, telling them, “I know my rights, I want an attorney.”
Sheriff Grady Judd spoke candidly about the severity of the crime. “He’s violent. He’s dangerous. He’s showed zero remorse,” Judd said. “Everybody that should be special to him in his life is dead because they crossed him.”
This was not the first time Collin had been accused of a parent’s murder. Just a year prior, on February 14, 2023, in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, Collin was involved in a deadly incident with his father, Charles Griffith. On that day, Collin called 911, claiming to have shot his father following an argument. According to Collin, his father had allegedly pulled a knife and chased him through the house. Cornered in a bedroom, Collin picked up a gun and fatally shot his father twice — once in the head and once in the chest.
However, authorities in Oklahoma later dropped the murder charges against the teenager after an investigation revealed inconsistencies in Collin’s account of the event. The affidavit from that case showed that the evidence did not fully match the story Collin initially told police. Following his father’s death, Collin was subjected to a psychological evaluation under Florida’s Baker Act, after reportedly expressing suicidal intentions.
In addition to the fatal shootings of both parents, Collin had previously been involved in other violent incidents. Reports indicate that he was arrested for domestic violence after an earlier incident involving his mother. During that confrontation, Collin allegedly beat his mother, an act witnessed by his grandmother, who later testified that the attack was not in self-defense.
Following the brutal stabbing of his mother, Collin Griffith was taken into custody at the Polk County Jail, where he is now facing a first-degree murder charge. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has requested that the State Attorney’s Office prosecute Collin as an adult, given the severity of the crime.
Sheriff Judd also confirmed that his office has asked authorities in Oklahoma to reopen the investigation into the death of Charles Griffith, Collin’s father, based on the new information revealed in the Florida case. “We are urging Oklahoma to take another look at the case,” Judd stated. “We believe this boy has a much deeper history of violence than was previously understood.”
The tragedy of the Griffith family is deeply unsettling. In a little over a year, both of Collin’s parents have died under violent and suspicious circumstances, leaving a wake of devastation. Sheriff Judd remarked on the senseless nature of the violence, saying, “It’s heartbreaking to think that a family could be destroyed like this by one of its own. This young man is clearly troubled, but the damage he has done is irreparable.”
Collin Griffith’s story stands as a grim reminder of the complexities of juvenile violence, the legal challenges of determining culpability, and the psychological struggles some teenagers face. As the case unfolds, the legal system will now decide whether Collin will be held fully accountable for these heinous acts.
In the meantime, the small community of Auburndale, Florida, and the larger circle of those affected by this tragic chain of events are left grappling with the loss and the unsettling questions that surround such a horrific situation. The ongoing investigations will seek to answer these questions, but for now, the loss of two lives has left a void that no legal resolution can truly fill.