It’s been three- and a half years since 12-year-old Jaylen Griffin went missing.
On Monday, Buffalo Police reported that Jaylen Griffin’s body was found in a home on Sheffield Avenue on Friday just after 10 A.M.
A maintenance worker reported to police that he discovered a body in the attic of a home on Sheffield that he was working on. The worker didn’t report any odor of decomposing matter.
Homicide detectives arrived on scene just before 10:30 and reporter that they would need more time a the scene because of a DOA (dead on arrival).
Griffin was last seen on Aug. 4, 2020. Buffalo Police have said he went to a grocery store in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood and never returned home.
“The body that was located in the house had been there for a significant amount of time,” Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said.
Gramaglia couldn’t elaborate on how long the body had been there, or how long the
Griffin’s body was found a little more than five miles from where he was last seen..
The Erie County Medical Examiner had to identify Griffin’s body through dental records.
“I do want to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family of Jaylen,” Gramaglia said. “This department has conducted extensive searches and I want Jaylen’s family to know that we are working diligently to bring the next closure for the family.”
Kareema Morris, founder of Bury The Violence said during the press conference that Griffin’s family was thankful to the community and able to finalize closure.
Jaylen’s mother, Joanne Ponzo, died in September 2023. His brother, Jawaan, was shot and killed in front of their family home in November 2020.
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said the medical examiner will be conducting an additional autopsy on Griffin’s remains, but indicated it could take months.
“That’s going to hopefully reveal to us some forensic evidence that is going to be significant in the investigation,” Keane said.
Griffin would have turned 16 years-old on Monday, April 22. A memorial service will be held in his honor in front of the Central Terminal near the traffic circle at 6 P.M.
