On New Year's Day in 2019, the community of Anderson, Indiana, was shaken by the tragic death of Tommie Griffin, a 39-year-old Black/African American man. Griffin was discovered inside his vehicle near the intersection of Ninth and Chestnut streets at approximately 8:30 a.m. He had been shot multiple times.
The initial stages of the investigation left law enforcement uncertain whether Griffin was the specific target of the attack or if it was a random act of violence.
However, their efforts soon led to a significant breakthrough. On January 28, 2019, authorities arrested 34-year-old Willie Alex Owens Jr., also a resident of Anderson. The arrest took place at the Championship Lanes bowling alley. Owens was accused of shooting Griffin multiple times at close range.
Willie Alex Owens Jr. faced a series of serious charges, including murder, intimidation, domestic battery, and interference with the reporting of a crime. The legal process concluded in March 2020 when a Madison County jury found Owens guilty of the murder of Tommie Griffin. Subsequently, in July 2020, Owens received a 90-year sentence in the Indiana Department of Correction.
Tommie Griffin was remembered by his family as an athletic individual. In his memory, they planned to establish a scholarship in his name to support a local high school athlete. His obituary noted his graduation from Madison Heights/Anderson High School in 1998, where he was a member of the sectional championship basketball team. He had gone on to earn a physical therapy degree and was employed at Indiana Automotive Fasteners. He was described as a family man who loved children and deeply cared for his mother.
