Lawyers file motions in the case of a 17-year-old accused of murdering his mother

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – An attorney for the Polk County teen accused of murdering his mother has filed several motions in the case.

Collin Griffith has been charged with first-degree murder and is being tried as an adult in the Sept. 11, 2024, death of his mother. Officers say the teen called 911 for help and explained that he and his mother had gotten into an argument. He claimed that during that argument, his mother attacked him with a knife and fell on it, resulting in a deep stab wound to her neck.

The Polk County Fire Department responded to the home in Auburndale with emergency medical services, and deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office were also on scene. When they arrived at the scene, she was pronounced dead.

Officers asked the teen what happened, and he immediately became uncooperative and asked to speak to a lawyer. As the investigation continued, investigators began to notice discrepancies between the information he provided in his 911 call and what was discovered at the crime scene.

Further details revealed that Griffith was also arrested in the February 2023 shooting death of his father in Oklahoma. The teenager was arrested and charged for this incident, but the charges were later dropped on grounds of self-defense.

He was also charged with domestic violence against his mother by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office in November 2023. Investigators spoke with witnesses who told them they saw the teen and his mother having a verbal argument outside the home. They saw him grab his mother by the hair and drag her into the house.

According to these witnesses, his mother repeatedly begged him to “let me go.”

Griffith's lawyers have now requested that information about his father's death be restricted. They have also filed a bail application in the case.

There will be a status hearing on November 21st. Griffith will be in court on January 21, 2025 to decide the motions

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