In the winter of 2018, just days before Christmas, the life of 19-year-old Cameron Griffith was tragically cut short in Lebanon, Tennessee. On the evening of December 16th, the young man was at the Discount Tobacco Shop on North Cumberland Street when he was confronted by several individuals. An altercation ensued, and in a moment of violence, Griffith was shot.
His friend, who was with him, quickly drove him to Tennova Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that the incident was the result of an attempted robbery. The Lebanon Police Department worked diligently to identify those responsible for Griffith's death. Their efforts, aided by tips from the community, led them to 18-year-old Christian Chauncey Cain Ballance. After a two-week search, Ballance was located and apprehended by a SWAT team at a motel in Clarksville on December 30, 2018. In addition to Ballance, authorities also took unidentified juvenile suspects, between the ages of 16 and 17, into custody in connection with the case.
Christian Ballance was charged with first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery for his alleged role in the death of Cameron Griffith. He was booked into the Wilson County jail with a bond set at $5 million. In January 2019, Ballance appeared in Wilson County Criminal Court and entered a plea of 'not guilty' to the charges against him.
Cameron Griffith was remembered as a recent graduate of Lebanon High School, class of 2018, and an employee at a local Wendy's. He was a member of the College Hills Church of Christ and was deeply loved by his family and friends. The community mourned the loss of a young life taken too soon and hoped for justice to be served in his case.
