Missing Buffalo boy’s death ruled homicide
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – A body discovered Friday in a South Buffalo home was determined to be that of a Buffalo boy who went missing in August 2020, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia announced Monday.
Jaylen Griffin was 12 years old when he was last seen by family on Aug. 4, 2020. They realized he was missing after he didn’t show up for his brother’s funeral service. There had been renewed efforts in the years since Griffin’s disappearance to help find him, including a Crime Stoppers reward up to $7,500.
Gramaglia said Griffin’s death is being considered a homicide. The body showed signs that it had been dead for a significant period of time before it was discovered, Gramaglia said, but he couldn’t share additional information about its condition or the matter of death.
“I want Jaylen’s family to know that we are working diligently, we will continue to work diligently to bring the next closure for the family,” Gramaglia said. “The first closure was finding Jaylen and bringing him home.”
Acting District Attorney Michael Keane said the next step is having the medical examiner perform an autopsy and gather forensic evidence they hope will be helpful in the investigation. The work is expected to take months, Keane said.
The body was found Friday in a house on the 100 block of Sheffield Avenue in South Buffalo, just over one week before what would have been Griffin’s 16th birthday. Gramaglia said the multi-unit home was at least partially occupied.
The family, through a spokesperson, thanked everyone who worked to search for Griffin. A memorial vigil for his 16th birthday will be held at 6 p.m. next Monday, April 22, at Memorial Circle near the Central Terminal.
The case was handled by the Buffalo Police Department’s Special Victims Unit, which Gramaglia thanked for its “exhaustive efforts.”
“We followed up on every tip that came in,” Gramaglia said, “including multiple psychics that called in tips.”
Investigators are still looking to gather information about the case. The Buffalo Police Department’s confidential tip line is 716-847-2255. Crime Stoppers can be reached at 716-867-6161.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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