Atlanta pastor murder: Christopher Griggs guilty on all counts

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Christopher Griggs has been found guilty of stabbing to death 57-year-old Rev. Marita Harrell, and then burning her body. Harrell was a beloved Atlanta-area pastor who had been mentoring Griggs. 

Griggs was found guilty by a jury on Friday afternoon on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a felony, concealing the death of another, tampering with evidence, and felony theft by taking. 

Tears rolled down many of the faces of Harrell's family members as the seven guilty verdicts were read. 

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson moved right into a sentencing hearing for Griggs. Rev Harrell's husband, daughter and mother gave victim impact statements before the judge handed down her sentence. She sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 20 years, plus 12 months. 

Harrell was the senior pastor at Connections at Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Atlanta. She was dedicated to helping people who had lost their way, people like Christopher Griggs, whom she met when he called her asking for money from the Fulton County Jail. 

Trial of Christopher Griggs

Prosecutors said Rev. Harrell was trying to help the man who stabbed her in the heart, side and abdomen and began stealing her money from her bank account, before taking her body to a wooded area and setting it on fire. 

During testimony on Thursday, police in DeKalb County reported that the minister's bank accounts were being drained coinciding with the timeframe they suspect she was fatally stabbed by an individual she had been mentoring. Additionally, cell phone analysis indicated that Griggs and his roommate were at their Panola Road residence at the murder's occurrence.

Cell phone testimony also uncovered that Griggs and his housemate were both at their Panola Road dwelling when the lethal stabbing transpired.

The prosecution presented a text Harrell sent to a confidant at 2:47 p.m. on the day of her demise, cautioning, "Should I vanish today, investigate Christopher Griggs at 1386 Panola Road. He's a young man I'm aiding. We're convening for lunch. I believe all is fine, but caution is key. I'd rather skip any admonitions from Tony about excess kindness or trust. Love you."

Digital forensic specialists concluded that someone began depleting Harrell's bank account, exceeding $2,600, shortly following her arrival at Griggs' house.

Cathy Bancroft, a digital forensic specialist, gave a testimony outlining the sequence of withdrawals from Harrell's bank account that afternoon: "$500 at 3:17 p.m., another $500 at 3:20 p.m., and $480 at 3:21 p.m."

At the age of 29, Griggs initially disavowed all participation in the event, affirming he was home from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. He later conceded Harrell had visited him and left by 4 p.m. The defense team for Griggs implied in opening remarks that LaKeya Reid, another occupant of the house, was to blame for Harrell’s murder. However, this assertion was refuted by both police and prosecution.

Harrell's fatal injuries were so extensive that a 6-inch knife remained embedded in her midsection, according to the post-mortem examination. Her charred corpse was discovered by her spouse and eldest daughter in a deserted van on a remote stretch of Coffee Road.

During the trial, jurors were presented with evidence of cellphone data from Harrell, Griggs, and Reid. Reid professed to have been at home when the murder occurred and claimed she didn't perceive any commotion.

"FBI Task Force Officer Kevin Pacher, who analyzed the cellphone records, stated in court, "The cell phones of Miss Harrell and Miss Reed indicate their travel path towards the area where the body was eventually discovered on Coffee Road. Mr. Craig's phone, however, did not embark on that journey."

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Reid informed detectives she had driven Griggs in a vehicle, oblivious of its ownership by the pastor or the presence of the deceased within. Subsequently, DeKalb County police absolved Reid of any role in the heinous act, and no charges have been pressed against her.

Rev. Marita Harrell, a cleric of the United Methodist Church, was victim to a murder in May 2022, allegedly by a man she had been attempting to help better himself.

The defense's sole witness was Katrina Fields, who described Reid as akin to a sibling, reporting that Reid and Griggs had initially been romantically involved, but their relationship had evolved into something more akin to kinship by 2022.

Fields attested that Reid was not mired in financial woes. Defense attorneys suggested to the jury that Reid had a financial incentive to commit the murder of Harrell.

Griggs refrained from attending court earlier in the week, citing concerns over media coverage and the presence of the victim's family.