A Stone Mountain man has been convicted for the murder of a local pastor who had been counseling him, before attempting to cover up the crime by setting her van on fire. On Friday, September 13, a jury found 29-year-old Christopher Devonta Griggs guilty on multiple charges, including malice murder and felony murder, in the killing of Pastor Marita Harrell.
The Details: Griggs was convicted on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Knife During the Commission of a Felony, Concealing the Death of Another, Tampering with Evidence, and Theft by Taking. The charges stemmed from the brutal murder of Harrell on May 18, 2022.
The crime unraveled when Harrell’s family tracked her phone after she did not return home for dinner. They discovered her body inside her partially burned van, parked in a wooded area off Coffee Road in Lithonia. Investigators learned that Harrell, a pastor who had been working with individuals recently released from jail, had been counseling Griggs after meeting him through a prison ministry.
In a chilling revelation, it was uncovered that Harrell had sent a text message to a friend shortly before her meeting with Griggs, writing, “I’ll explain later, but if I should disappear today check out Chris’s [sic] Griggs,” including his address.
Harrell was 56 years old.
The Crime: Harrell had agreed to meet Griggs at his home on Panola Road. Once there, she transferred five large sums of money to Griggs via Cash App, and was later stabbed to death. Griggs then wrapped her body in bedding from his home, placed it in her van, and attempted to burn the evidence.
The next day, Griggs hired a cleaning company to remove oil stains he had poured on the carpet to conceal the blood left behind. Investigators found traces of blood near the stains, and Griggs’ mattress pad was discovered freshly washed in the dryer.
A SWAT team later found Harrell’s body and tracked down Griggs, who had been staying at a nearby motel. Before his arrest, Griggs sent a video confession to the woman he was living with, admitting full responsibility.
The Sentencing: Following the guilty verdict, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson sentenced Griggs to life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 21 years for the other charges.
The conviction closes a tragic chapter for the family of Pastor Harrell, whose life was taken while doing the work she was deeply committed to—helping those in need.
