Geoffrey T. Griffin

Serial Killer

Geoffrey T. Griffin: The Roseland Killer

Background

Geoffrey T. Griffin was a Chicago man who became known in press and police accounts as the "Roseland Killer" after investigators connected him to a series of killings of women on Chicago's South Side. Most of the cases associated with Griffin occurred during a concentrated period in the spring and summer of 2000. The victims were frequently found in abandoned or vacant buildings in and around the Roseland area, with other cases occurring elsewhere on the South Side and in nearby Harvey, Illinois. Strangulation and severe blunt-force violence appeared repeatedly in the investigations. Although Griffin was accused of a larger series of murders, it is important to distinguish the accusations from what was actually proved in court: he was convicted of murdering Angela Jones and Julia Veal, was acquitted of murdering Beverly Burns, and other murder charges did not ultimately result in convictions.

The Murder of Angela Jones

Angela Jones, a 32-year-old mother of seven, became the central case in the investigation of Griffin. Jones was found dead on May 12, 2000, inside an abandoned building in the 11800 block of South Yale Avenue in Chicago. Her death was attributed to strangulation. Investigators eventually focused on Griffin, who knew the area and was questioned about Jones's death. Griffin admitted that he had been with Jones and described the two using crack cocaine before the fatal encounter. He admitted squeezing her throat during sexual activity. His statements, together with other evidence developed by investigators, became the basis of the prosecution. Griffin was taken into custody in mid-June 2000 in connection with Jones's murder. On September 22, 2005, a Cook County judge found him guilty of killing Jones. He later received a 100-year prison sentence for that murder. The Jones conviction was significant because investigators had already been examining a cluster of similar deaths involving women found in abandoned structures. By the time Griffin was prosecuted, authorities had investigated him in connection with numerous killings from 1998 through 2000. ...

Confirmed Victims: (2)

Angela Jones Age: (32), Date of Death: 2000-05-12

Suspected Victims:

Beverly Burns Age: (34), Date of Death: 2000-06-22

5 other women

Geoffrey Griffin | Murderpedia