Security guard gets 18 years for slashing common-law wife's throat

Security guard Elroy Griffiths who pleaded guilty last month to the 2019 murder of his 50-year-old common-law wife Mourine Johnson was yesterday sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment.

He will have to serve at least 12 years before he is eligible for parole.

Griffiths, 53, had pleaded guilty in the Portland Parish Court on June 21. He admitted to slashing Johnson's throat with a knife at their home in Buff Bay, Portland, on August 20, 2019.

The facts of the case as outlined by assistant director of public prosecutions Syleen O'Gilvie were that, on the day of the incident, the couple had a domestic dispute. Griffiths was seen “holding down” the deceased and blood was seen coming from her nose. 

The deceased went to make a report at the police station.

She returned home later that day and had to force open the door to the house in order to get clothes to go to the hospital. Griffiths returned home shortly after and enquired who had “popped” off his door.

Johnson and Griffiths got into an argument later and as the deceased attempted to sit on a chair, Griffiths pulled it, causing her to fall. Griffiths then took a knife, slashed her throat and stabbed her in her stomach.

After that he threw the knife in the direction of a neighbour's  premises and left with his bag. Fire was next seen coming from the room which spread to the verandah. The skin of the deceased was burnt during the fire.

“Officer mi can say something to you, a mi a Portland most wanted Elroy Griffiths. A mi did kill di  woman  and set di house a fire a Buff Bay officer,” Griffiths said when he was apprehended by the police on January 18, 2022.

Griffiths was also charged with arson but the prosecution offered no evidence on that charge.

Attorney-at- law Jacqueline Asher who represented Griffiths pleaded with Justice Vaughn Smith to be lenient in passing sentence.

-Barbara Gayle

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