Latonya Renee Murchison Crime – On December 31, 2024, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Latonya Renee Murchison of Sanford, North Carolina.
She has been charged with accessory after the fact in connection with the assault on 20-year-old Ashanti Downey.
Murchison is the mother of 23-year-old Jami Raiziah Griffin, who is accused of dousing Downey with gasoline and setting her on fire on December 16, 2024.
According to authorities, Murchison was present during the incident and allegedly assisted her son in evading capture. Griffin was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and assault on a female/domestic violence. He is currently held on a $1 million bond.
Downey sustained severe burns on the right side of her body and remains in critical condition at a burn center. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact Detective Ronald Beasley at (910) 893-0151 or the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 893-9111.
Murchison received a $500,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on January 14, 2025.
For more details, you can watch the following news report: