The Richland County Sheriff's Department said the of Darrell Lydell Griffin, 48, was arrested for murder.
/ Source: Richland County
COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) - A man has been charged with killing his girlfriend, then leaving her body inside a burning car at a Columbia church.
The Richland County Sheriff's Department said the of Darrell Lydell Griffin, 48, was arrested for murder.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts identified the victim as Johnette Pratt, 45, of Red Thorn Court, Columbia. Coroner Watts stated that preliminary autopsy results indicate that Pratt died as a result of manual strangulation.
Richland Sheriff Leon Lott said on August 7, Griffin called the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to report a crime. Griffin originally stated that he and his female acquaintance were victims of a robbery. After further exploration and Richland County Sheriff’s Department Investigators determined Griffin's aquaintence, Johnette Pratt, died as a result of injuries sustained by Griffin to the upper body.
Lott said just before 8 p.m. on August 7, 2012, deputies responded to a suspicious death call at 2625 Alpine Road. A church member noticed a black Lincoln parked in the church parking lot for several hours with the engine running and called law enforcement. Richland County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and found a female victim unresponsive in the passenger seat. Later in the evening a car was found burning in the same area as the church.
Griffin was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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