Polk County deputies in Florida arrested a 17-year-old Sunday for allegedly murdering his mother.
Police said the Collin Griffith killed 39-year-old Catherine Griffith, of Port Charlotte, on Sunday evening, at a home in Auburndale.
The teen called 911 and when investigators arrived, he said that during an argument with his mother, she lunged at him with a knife and fell on it, causing a deep stab wound to her neck.
The sheriff’s office stated that when deputies questioned Collin Griffith at the scene, he then became uncooperative and requested a lawyer. Police later noted inconsistencies between his 911 call and the evidence at the scene.
Witnesses said they saw him arguing with his mother outside the home and dragging her inside by her hair, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Witnesses also reported hearing Catherine Griffith repeatedly plead with her son to “let me go.”
The sheriff’s office stated that Collin Griffith’s grandmother was not present during the stabbing, but told police about previous instances where her grandson had been physically and verbally confrontational with his mother.
Sheriff Grady Judd with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office called the defendant a “psychopath” during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
A 2023 affidavit from by Lincoln County News in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, indicated that Collin Griffin, 15 at the time, shot and killed his father, Charles Robert Griffith, during a Valentine’s Day altercation.
Collin reported that an argument occurred between him and Charles, during which Charles allegedly pulled a knife and chased him through the house. Collin claimed that Charles trapped him in the bedroom, leading him to grab a gun and shoot Charles twice—once in the head and once in the chest.
The affidavit highlighted discrepancies between the scene’s evidence and Collin’s initial statement to dispatch. Although he was initially charged with murder, the charges in the 2023 case were dropped less than a month later, according to Judd.
Following his father’s death, the defendant moved in with his mother in Florida.
Collin Griffith remains behind bars without bail on murder charges. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Collin Griffith/Polk County Sheriff’s Office]
