Man found in burned out trailer had been shot
Published 9:26 pm Wednesday, April 15, 2015
The body of a Selma man that was found inside of a burned down mobile home on Karen Street early Saturday morning has been identified as 36-year-old Jimmy Wayne Griffin Jr., according to Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson.
According to Lt. Curtis Muhannad with the Selma Police Department, a man was found with a gunshot wound to the back after the fire was extinguished.
“After the fire was extinguished, firefighters located the body of a white male inside of the residence,” Muhannad said. “The victim had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back.”
Muhannad said investigators found a 12-gauge shotgun inside the mobile home, and Griffin’s death is now being investigated as a possible homicide or suicide.
“The victim’s body was taken to the Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy to determine the cause of death,” Muhannad said. “It is unknown at this point in the investigation if this is a suicide or homicide.”
Muhannad said an autopsy report will guide investigators in which direction to take with the investigation of Griffin’s death.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the autopsy report had not been completed, according to Jackson.
According to Selma Fire Chief Mike Stokes, the fire department responded to the scene around 11:56 p.m. Friday, April 10.
“It was a mobile home that had been added onto twice,” Stokes said in a Monday interview. “There was a mobile home with a hallway and a bedroom added. When the Selma Fire Department arrived it was fully involved.”
According to Stokes, the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Funeral services for Griffin were announced Wednesday and will be held Friday, April 17 at 12 p.m. at Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home. Burial will follow at New Live Oak Cemetery.