On a late afternoon in Marrero, Louisiana, the sound of gunshots shattered the calm of a neighborhood where 45-year-old Owen Griffin was playing cards with friends in a nearby vacant lot. It was August 30, 1982, and the shots were coming from his own home. Reacting instantly, Owen ran towards the residence and rushed inside, only to be met with more gunfire.
This tragic act of violence was the culmination of a tumultuous relationship and a series of threats that ended five lives.
Inside the home, a horrific scene awaited the police who were quickly summoned by neighbors. They discovered the bodies of Owen Griffin; his wife, Myrtle Griffin; his stepdaughter, Sheila Thomas; Sheila's four-year-old daughter, Chantelle Osborne; and the child's father, Carl Osborne. The victims were found in various rooms of the house, all having suffered multiple gunshot wounds, primarily to the head. The murder weapons, a. 38 caliber pistol and a. 22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with 'Sheila' inscribed on the stock, were recovered at the scene.
The perpetrator was identified as Leslie Lowenfield, a native of Guyana and the former boyfriend of Sheila Thomas. Their relationship had been fraught with conflict, leading to a final breakup in the months preceding the murders. In the wake of their separation, Lowenfield began to harass Sheila and her family, making numerous threats against them. The situation had escalated to the point where complaints had been filed against him. On the day of the killings, Lowenfield had purchased the. 22 caliber rifle from a local K-Mart.
Following the discovery of the victims, Leslie Lowenfield was arrested and charged with the murders. His trial brought to light the extent of his threatening behavior in the days leading up to the massacre. He was subsequently convicted of the murders and sentenced to death. On April 13, 1988, Leslie Lowenfield was executed by electric chair for the murders of Owen Griffin and his family.
