Murder of pastor in Atlanta: Christopher Griggs guilty on all counts

DEKALB COUNTY, Georgia. – Christopher Griggs was found guilty of stabbing to death and then burning the body of 57-year-old pastor Marita Harrell, a popular Atlanta pastor who had mentored Griggs.

Christopher Griggs was found guilty by a jury Friday afternoon of premeditated murder, first-degree murder, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a serious crime, covering up the death of another person, tampering with evidence and theft by taking.

During testimony Thursday, DeKalb County police reported that the pastor's bank accounts were emptied at the exact time she was believed to have been stabbed by someone she was caring for. In addition, cellphone analysis revealed that Griggs and his roommate were in her Panola Road apartment at the time of the murder.

Cellphone statements also revealed that Griggs and his roommate were both in their Panola Road apartment when the fatal stabbing occurred.

Prosecutors presented a text message that Harrell sent to a confidant at 2:47 p.m. on the day of her death. It read: “If I disappear today, investigate Christopher Griggs at 1386 Panola Road. He is a young man I am helping. We are meeting for lunch. I believe everything is fine, but caution is the key. I would rather skip Tony's admonitions about being overly friendly or trusting. Love you.”

Digital forensics specialists concluded that someone began looting Harrell's bank account for over $2,600 shortly after they arrived at Griggs' home.

Cathy Bancroft, a digital forensics specialist, gave testimony describing the sequence of withdrawals from Harrell's bank account that afternoon: “$500 at 3:17 p.m., another $500 at 3:20 p.m., and $480 at 3:21 p.m.”

Griggs, 29, initially denied any involvement in the incident, claiming he was home from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. He later admitted that Harrell visited him and left at 4 p.m. Griggs' defense team suggested in its opening statements that LaKeya Reid, another resident of the home, was responsible for Harrell's murder. However, that claim was rejected by both police and prosecutors.

Harrell's fatal injuries were so severe that, according to the autopsy, a six-inch knife was embedded in her abdomen. Her charred body was discovered by her husband and eldest daughter in an abandoned van on a remote stretch of Coffee Road.

During the trial, cell phone records from Harrell, Griggs and Reid were presented to the jury as evidence. Reid stated that she was home at the time of the murder and claimed she did not notice any commotion.

“Kevin Pacher, an FBI task force officer who analyzed the cell phone records, told the court: “Miss Harrell's and Miss Reed's cell phones show their route of travel to the area where the body was eventually discovered on Coffee Road. However, Mr. Craig's phone did not make that journey.”

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Reid told investigators that she had driven Griggs in a vehicle without knowing it belonged to the pastor or that the deceased was inside. Subsequently, DeKalb County Police cleared Reid of any involvement in the heinous act, and no charges were filed against her.

Rev. Marita Harrell, a United Methodist clergywoman, was murdered in May 2022, allegedly by a man she was trying to help recover.

The only defense witness was Katrina Fields, who described Reid as being like a sibling and reported that Reid and Griggs initially had a romantic relationship, but by 2022 their relationship had developed into more of a kinship.

Fields testified that Reid was not in financial trouble. Defense attorneys pointed out to the jury that Reid had a financial incentive to murder Harrell.

Griggs did not appear in court earlier this week, citing concerns about media coverage and the presence of the victim's family.