The GRIP

GPD: Two dead in Saturday murder/suicide

July 18, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department is investigating what officials are describing as a murder suicide. Officers at approximately 2:05 p.m. Saturday responded to a call requesting a welfare check at 704 Grandview Drive Apartment F4. Upon arrival, officers of the Uniform Patrol Division were unable to contact anyone at that residence. After […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Ashley Smith, crime, Darcell Goggins, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, murder, spalding county, suicide, violence

GPD investigating “criminal” death in Grandview Apartment complex

July 18, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin Police Department is actively conducting a death investigation in the Grandview Apartment complex located on Grandview Drive. Chief Mike Yates did confirm the death was criminal in nature. The GRIP will follow this developing story and report additional information as it becomes available. Please consider financially supporting The GRIP. […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Chief Mike Yates, crime, death investigation, Grandview Apartments, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, spalding county

Teen charged in Griffin murder apprehended in Clayton County

July 17, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: Malik Yarbrough, the 16-year-old suspect charged with murder in the Tuesday shooting death of Robert D. Brown, has been apprehended in Clayton County. After conducting numerous interviews and executing search warrants in this case, Griffin Police Department (GPD) investigators identified Yarbrough as the suspect in Brown’s murder. After further investigation, they notified […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: apprehended, arrest, Clayton County Sheriff's Office, crime, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Malik Yarbrough, murder, Robert D. Brown, shooting, spalding county

Griffin man arrested on three counts of sexual exploitation of a child

July 16, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: A Spalding County man has been arrested on multiple counts of sexual exploitation of children. The three felony charges are related to the alleged possession of child pornography. Patrick Finnegan, age 23, of Griffin, was on Wednesday, July 8, arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: arrest, CEACC, Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, child pornography, crime, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, Patrick Finnegan, sexual exploitation of a child, spalding county

Pike County man arrested on multiple charges of sexual exploitation of children

July 16, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: A Pike County man has been arrested on multiple counts of sexual exploitation of children. The seven felony charges are related to the alleged possession of child pornography. Brent Stein, age 67, of Meansville, was on Wednesday arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit with […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Brent Stein, CEACC Unit, Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, child pornography, GBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, Lamar County, Milner, Pike County, Pike County Sheriff's Office, Rock Springs Christian Academy, spalding county, teacher

Tractor trailer wreck blocks downtown traffic; city manager predicts ongoing problems

July 15, 2020 by Sheila Mathews 2 Comments

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Downtown traffic came to a standstill at the intersection of Hill and Taylor streets Wednesday afternoon when a tractor trailer struck a brick planter that constructed as part of the city of Griffin Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) project. Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates said traffic was obstructed while waiting for […]

Filed Under: Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Griffin, Griffin City Manager Kenny Smith, Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates, LCI, Living Centers Initiative, spalding county, tractor trailer, wreck

Man ejected, killed in wreck at Highway 155 and Teamon Road

July 15, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: One man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a wreck on Highway 155 in Spalding County. According to Sgt. Terry Thompson, of the Georgia State Patrol-Griffin Post, 22-year-old Michael Marcelle, whose license listed a Locust Grove address, was pronounced dead at the scene. “A driver traveling an excessive rate of speed lost […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: ejection, fatality, Georgia State Patrol-Griffin Post, Griffin, GSP, Michael Marcelle, Sgt. Terry Thompson, spalding county, speed, wreck

Spalding County Jail inmate diagnosed with COVID-19

July 14, 2020 by Sheila Mathews 2 Comments

STAFF REPORT ::: A Spalding County Jail inmate assigned to the kitchen detail has been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to a press release issued by Sheriff Darrell Dix, officials learned of the diagnosis at approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. This marks the first confirmed COVID-19 case at the jail since the outset of the pandemic. “Unfortunately, […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: coronavirus, COVID-19, Griffin, inmate, kitchen detail, pandemic, quarantine, Sheriff Darrell Dix, spalding county, Spalding County Jail, Spalding County Sheriff's Office

16-year-old identified as suspect in Monday night murder

July 14, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: Investigators have identified a teenager as the suspect in an overnight shooting that left one man dead. The Griffin Police Department has named 16-year-old Malik Yarbrough as the gunman who shot and killed 46-year-old Robert D. Brown, of Clayton County. Authorities say numerous interviews were conducted and several search warrants executed in […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: crime, Griffin, Griffin Police Department, homicide, investigation, Malik Yarbrough, murder, Robert D. Brown, shooting, spalding county, suspect

Superior Court Judge Fletcher Sams appointed to state’s Judicial Council

July 14, 2020 by Sheila Mathews 2 Comments

STAFF REPORT ::: Griffin Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge W. Fletcher Sams has been selected to serve as administrative judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Georgia. Sams, who was sworn in July 6, is the Griffin Judicial Circuit’s first representation on Georgia’s Judicial Council in more than 20 years. He will continue to serve […]

Filed Under: Government, Top Stories Tagged With: administrative judge, Georgia Judicial Council, Griffin, Griffin Judicial Circuit, Sixth Judicial District, spalding county, Superior Court Judge W. Fletcher Sams

Griffin PD investigating Monday night murder

July 14, 2020 by Sheila Mathews 1 Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: The Griffin Police Department is investigating a murder that occurred overnight Monday. GPD officers and personnel of WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital Emergency Medical Services responded at approximately 12:13 a.m. to a call reporting a person shot at 212 Melrose Avenue. Upon arrival, a deceased man, identified as 46-year-old Robert D. Brown, of […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Griffin, Griffin Police Department, investigation, murder, Robert D. Brown, shooting, spalding county

Two people killed in Sunday skydiving accident

July 13, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Two people were killed Sunday afternoon in a skydiving incident at the Thomaston-Upson County Airport. The pair – 35-year-old Nick Esposito, of Warner Robins, an employee of SkyDive Atlanta, and 18-year-old Jeanna Triplicata – had made a tandem jump together and died when both the primary and backup parachutes malfunctioned. According […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: accident, Jeanna Triplicata, Nick Esposito, parachutes, SkyDive Atlanta, skydiving, Thomaston, Thomaston-Upson County Airport, Upson County

Spalding County murder suspect apprehended in Mississippi

July 12, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: An arrest has been made in the Saturday night murder of 38-year-old Munteshia Brown, whose body was located in a church parking lot. Donald Colquitt, Brown’s boyfriend, has been arrested and will be charged in her death. According to a press release issued by Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix, Brown was found […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: apprehension, crime, Donald Colquitt, Griffin, Munteshia Brown, murder, Sheriff Darrell Dix, spalding county, Spalding County Sheriff's Office, suspect

Woman killed, man seriously injured in early Sunday morning wreck

July 12, 2020 by Sheila Mathews 1 Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: A woman was killed and a man seriously injured early Sunday morning in a one vehicle wreck in Pike County. Deputies of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) responded at approximately 3:26 a.m. to the scene on Highway 109 in the area of Weems Road. Officials say a Kia Sorento was travelling […]

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Christina Payne, Crime Lab, fatality, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Griffin, Jacob Norton, Pike County, Pike County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Jimmy Thomas, spalding county, wreck

School officials approve 2020-2021 reopening plan

July 9, 2020 by Sheila Mathews Leave a Comment

STAFF REPORT ::: The Griffin-Spalding Board of Education has approved a plan to reopen the school system for the 2020-2021 academic year. The delayed school starting date is Sept. 8 and was presented as Option 1 in a stakeholder survey. The approved plan will allow schools to resume normal operations while also offering a remote […]

Filed Under: Education, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: 2020-2021 school term, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19, education, Griffin Spalding County School System, Griffin-Spalding Board of Education, reopening, schools