In the early morning hours of February 9, 2024, the life of 20-year-old Ramiah Griffin was tragically cut short in her Baldwin, Pennsylvania, apartment. Neighbors in her Youngridge Drive building later recalled hearing loud noises around 3:30 a.m., a disturbance that would only be understood in the grim light of the afternoon. It was then, around 4:30 p.m., that Griffin's mother made a horrifying discovery. Ramiah, a female, was found in her bed, having been shot multiple times.
In an adjacent room, a small but profound sign of life persisted; Griffin’s one-year-old daughter was found, physically unharmed but having been alone for hours.
The investigation into the homicide quickly focused on a person of interest close to Ramiah. Through witness interviews and the careful review of surveillance footage, Allegheny County police identified 22-year-old Adelin Itongwa, the father of Griffin's child, as the primary suspect. The couple had been in a relationship for about four years before separating. The criminal complaint against Itongwa detailed what authorities described as a complex and premeditated plot. Investigators allege that Itongwa used a stolen license plate, affixing it to Griffin's mother's SUV, which he then drove to the apartment on the morning of the murder. This elaborate attempt to conceal his movements was ultimately unraveled by detectives.
On February 21, 2024, Adelin Itongwa was arrested and charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of a child. In a chilling detail shared by the victim's family, Itongwa allegedly attended Ramiah Griffin's funeral, mourning alongside those who were grieving her loss most deeply. Following his arrest, he was taken to the Allegheny County Jail to await his preliminary arraignment. The family revealed that on the very day of Itongwa's arrest, they had been on their way to a custody hearing concerning the child he shared with Ramiah.
