Jaylen Griffin vanished on August 4th, 2020. The young boy was only 12 years old at the time of his disappearance. Jaylen's family members last saw him near his home on Warren Avenue in Buffalo, New York.
The day he vanished; Jaylen took his new puppy for a walk in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood. Shortly after he returned home, he told his mother he was going out again. Jaylen's mother assumed he would return soon, but he never did.
Jaylen reportedly left his home around 11:00 AM, and he did not tell his mother where he was going. He was known to frequent nearby stores in the area so he could help people carry their grocery bags. Jaylen's mother initially thought he was doing that on the day of his disappearance. However, when he did not return home, his family members began to think that something was wrong.
According to sources close to Jaylen's family, he was not the type to go far from home or to stay out late. There were reported sightings of him around the Buffalo area in the months following his disappearance, and authorities stated that they believed he may still be in the area. In November 2020, three months after Jaylen vanished, his older brother Jawaan Griffin was shot and killed. Many thought that the news of his brother's passing would encourage Jaylen to return home, but he didn't--nor did he contact his family at all.
Despite all of this, authorities reportedly still maintained their belief that Jaylen was alive. An article from April 2021 quotes Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo, who stated, "we have no information that leads us to believe he is in immediate danger. I mean the fact of his age and the fact that he is not under his parental supervision is obviously dangerous to begin with, but we do not believe that he was abducted or taken against his will."
Then, in 2024, that all changed. A maintenance man working at a multi-unit house on 107 Sheffield Avenue found a body in the attic. That body was later identified as Jaylen Griffin. His death was labeled a homicide.
The house where Jaylen was found is approximately five miles away from his home. Neighbor in that area told reporters that police had responded to that house "several times" over the years. At this time, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Jaylen's case.
Jaylen's mother passed in September 2023, before learning of her son's fate. His remaining family members are hoping to find justice. The investigation is ongoing, and there is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Jaylen's homicide.
If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at (716) 847-2255.
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