Teen in custody for gruesome stabbing murder of his own mother

A Florida teenager has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his mother, less than two years after he was arrested for fatally shooting his father but never charged, authorities said. 

Collin Griffith, 17, is in custody following the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, at a mobile home in Auburndale, Florida. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the charges during a press briefing, describing the incident as a "cold-blooded murder."

According to Judd, witnesses saw the teen dragging his mother into the house by her hair before the incident. "There were witnesses outside the mobile home that actually saw Collin drag his mother into the house by the hair on her head," Judd said.

The sheriff reported that Griffith called 911, claiming his mother "fell on a knife" and was bleeding from the neck. The teen allegedly told authorities that his mother had lunged at him with the knife when she fell on it during a prolonged fight inside the home.

When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the teenager to be "calm, cool, collected – not upset," according to Judd. The sheriff stated that Griffith told the deputies, "I know my rights, I want an attorney."

Investigators found a bloody kitchen knife with an 8-inch blade inside the home. An autopsy conducted determined that Catherine Griffith died from a deep knife wound to the neck, which the medical examiner deemed inconsistent with an accidental injury.

"The medical examiner said it is not reasonable or plausible that she died the way that [her son] said she did," Judd explained.

The sheriff's office revealed that Griffith had a history of confrontations with his mother. Reports from Charlotte County, Florida, where the mother and son previously lived, showed that Griffith had allegedly threatened to kill her in September 2023 and February 2024.

In November 2023, Griffith was arrested by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office for domestic violence battery against his mother. Judd described the incident: "She was disciplining him and took his video game privileges away, so he beat up his mother. He pushed her to the ground and he stomped on her."

The investigation also uncovered that Griffith had been arrested in Oklahoma in 2023 in connection with the fatal shooting of his father, Charles Griffith. Adam Panter, the district attorney for Oklahoma's 23rd District, stated that Griffith claimed self-defense in the shooting, which occurred during an argument on Feb. 14, 2023.

During a 911 call, the teen said he grabbed a rifle and shot his father twice after his father chased him into a bedroom while armed with a knife, according to the district attorney.

"At the start of his police interview, he requested an attorney and the interview was terminated, so the only version of events that we were able to obtain was what Collin said on the 911 call, which was consistent with the evidence we found at the scene," Panter said in a statement to ABC News.

No charges were filed in that case. "Ultimately, after evaluating all of the evidence and possible theories, it was determined that we could not rule out self-defense and as a result, declined to file any formal charges," Panter explained.

Griffith moved to Charlotte County, Florida, in March 2023, after his father's death, to live with his mother. He was placed on active juvenile probation after his arrest for battery domestic violence in November 2023.

A spokesperson for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office stated that its juvenile unit had been working with the teen and his family "in various ways to include connecting them with available resources."

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) had also been in contact with the family, including after Griffith ran away from home in February following an argument with his mother, according to Judd. A spokesperson for DCF, which investigates allegations of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, said information regarding its investigations is confidential, per state law.

Days before the stabbing, Collin Griffith and his mother had an argument about chores, and he went to his grandmother's home, Judd said. Catherine Griffith went to the grandmother's home to bring him back to hers, and she and her son were seen arguing outside of the grandmother's home around 4:30 p.m., fewer than two hours before the teen called 911 to report the stabbing incident.

Sheriff Judd expressed concern about the case, questioning whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy. "My question is, was there anything else that could have been done?" he said. He noted that the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office did a "remarkable job keeping up" with Collin Griffith.

Both Panter and Judd said any relevant information obtained in the investigation into the mother's death will be considered in connection with the shooting of the teen's father. "If any new evidence is obtained that is both relevant and credible to our investigation into the death of Collin Griffith's father, we will certainly re-evaluate the case and make a new determination if necessary," Panter told ABC News.

In addition to murder, Collin Griffith has been charged with kidnapping and violation of a no-contact order. The charges stem from his juvenile probation in Charlotte County for battery domestic violence, with conditions including that he have no contact with his mother, according to the affidavit.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has requested the state attorney's office to charge the teenager as an adult. The State Attorney's Office for the 10th Judicial Circuit, which covers Polk County, stated to ABC News that they have nothing to say about the case currently.

While the inquiry proceeds, officials are examining Collin Griffith's past and connections with other organizations in Florida and Oklahoma.