It was stated this week by the Buffalo, New York, police that a youngster who had been missing since August 2020 was discovered in the attic of an apartment around five miles away from the location where he had been last seen.
During a news conference held on Monday, the Buffalo Police Department said that the corpse of Jaylen Griffin, who was 12 years old at the time, was discovered on Friday, after a search that lasted for three and a half years. It was less than a week after the kid would have been 16 years old when his corpse was discovered, according to Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, who spoke with the representatives.
Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said that the corpse that was discovered inside the home had been there for a considerable length of time since it had been there for a long time.
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to Jaylen’s family,” the commissioner said. “I am truly sorry for your loss.” “This department has conducted extensive searches and I want Jaylen’s family to know that we are working diligently to bring the next closure for the family.”
As reported by the local WGRZ, Jawaan, Griffin’s brother, was murdered by gunfire in front of the family’s home in November of 2020. This occurred three months after his brother, who was 12 years old at the time, went missing. The passing of Joanne Ponzo, Griffin’s mother, occurred in September of 2023.
Brian Griffin, the boy’s father, expressed his feelings to the local WIVB station, saying, “Now that I have confirmation, I do feel a lot better.” On the other hand, the father claimed that the authorities did not inform him that after a lengthy search, they had finally located his kid.
“They say they found the body on Friday, why wasn’t I notified?” the father said, then added that he is wondering about who was residing at the residence where his son was discovered. “They say they found the body on Friday.” It is impossible for any of us to tell how long he has been passed; but, I am certain that there would have been some kind of stench.
It was necessary for the Erie County Medical Examiner to use dental records in order to identify Griffin, according to Gramaglia.
The neighbors of the property where Griffin was discovered said that they had saw the police react to the residence “many times” over the course of the years. Additionally, the neighbors stated that the house often had individuals going in and out of it. An employee who was responsible for upkeep found the corpse of Griffin, as stated by the source.
The question is, “Who would do something like this to a boy who is 12 years old?” In an interview with WIVB, the local pastor Tim Newkirk, who is a friend of the Griffin family, stated.
What brought him to this location? Had he been moved? He proceeded by saying, “There are still questions that need to be answered.” “By what time had he been passed? For how long had he been deceased? Was he discovered at a location that required a key to be unlocked in order to be accessed? Is there a particular odor that seems to have been released that would be a big source of concern for this community? The community seems to be the kind of place where, in the event that anything is going on, someone will either report it or say something about it.
In the year 2021, Griffin’s mother, who had passed away the previous year, disclosed to PEOPLE that her son had vanished immediately after he had gone for a stroll with his new dog. The young man informed his mother that he was going to return to the house, which she described as “not unusual.”
The statement was made by her. “We live in close proximity to a few stores, and he would carry people’s bags, and they would give him change.” But Griffin never returned to the house.
According to the statement made by the police department at the news conference that took place on Monday, the agency is offering a prize of $7,500 “for information leading to the arrest or indictment of the person(s) responsible for the homicide of Jaylen Griffin.”
According to Gramaglia, “this investigation has been going on for more than three and a half years.” The inquiry has been carried out in great detail.
Another statement made by the police commissioner was as follows: “It is nothing short of a tragedy for a boy of twelve years old to go missing and for it to end in this manner.” This is a complete and utter tragedy, and it is really disturbing.
