In the early hours of a January weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, the life of 60-year-old Gary O. McClain came to a violent and tragic end. On January 9, 2022, McClain was found deceased inside a room at the Savoy motel on Dickerson Pike. An investigation by Metro Nashville Police Department Homicide Unit detectives would soon uncover a story of robbery that escalated to murder.
McClain, a resident of Nashville, had been shot and killed, marking the city's first homicide of the new year.
Evidence and witness accounts quickly pointed to a woman with whom McClain had been seen arriving at the motel. This woman was also suspected of stealing his 2017 silver Hyundai Accent. The investigation led authorities to identify 20-year-old Jakira Coleman-Griffen of Detroit as the primary suspect. A nationwide alert was issued for the stolen vehicle, which proved to be a critical step in the investigation. The day after the discovery of McClain's body, authorities in Cobb County, Georgia, spotted the Hyundai. A police pursuit ensued, which ended with the apprehension of Coleman-Griffen. At the time of her arrest, she was in possession of a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.
Following her arrest, Coleman-Griffen was interviewed by Nashville Homicide detectives. During the interview, she admitted to shooting Gary McClain in the head. Investigators believe the motive for the murder was robbery. An arrest warrant was issued, charging her with criminal homicide. Coleman-Griffen was subsequently extradited back to Nashville to face legal proceedings.
Jakira Coleman-Griffen was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, and theft. Court records from Davidson County show a series of hearings that took place throughout 2022 and 2023. On October 5, 2023, a disposition was reached in her case. Coleman-Griffen was found guilty of a lesser charge of second-degree murder. The charges of felony murder and theft were dismissed. Following her conviction, a sentencing hearing was held on December 11, 2023.
