Jaylen Griffin, the missing Buffalo boy whose decomposed body was found stuffed in a random attic earlier this year, was stabbed to death, his family confirmed.
The 12-year-old died from forced entry of a sharp object, his father, Brian Griffin confirmed with HNGN, citing Jaylen's death certificate. It's unclear how many times he was stabbed or when he was killed.
Jaylen vanished while on a walk to a corner store in his Buffalo, New York, neighborhood on Aug. 4, 2020, and investigators quickly classified him as a runaway, much to the Griffin family's dismay. But, the April 12 discovery of his body at a home just six blocks from where he disappeared forced police to transition his case into a homicide investigation.
Sunday marks the 4-year anniversary of Jaylen's disappearance and still no arrests have been made despite the discovery of his remains.
"There should be no person or perpetrators out there who have done something like this to a kid, walking around feeling like there's no clues and no evidence and no way that they can ever be caught," close family friend and spokesperson Pastor Tim Newkirk told HNGN in an interview Wednesday.
"There's so many questions that are unanswered," Newkirk – who accused Buffalo police of a lack of transparency and communication on the case – said. "There's no update. There's no revelation, there's no news, and there's no apprehension of action to bring the person or perpetrator into custody that we know of."
The BPD did not immediately respond to HNGN's request for comment.
"It's very trying because the clock is ticking," Newkirk expressed of his frustration over the investigation. "It's still fresh, but it's solidifying every day that goes on. Every day that passes, every week, every month, it's almost close to being a cold case."
