The tragic case of Elizabeth Griffith and other victims of serial killer Shawn Grate began to unfold on September 13, 2016, with a harrowing 911 call. This single call not only saved the life of a kidnapping victim but also exposed Grate’s horrifying crimes, including the murders of Elizabeth Griffith and others.
The Harrowing 911 Call
The victim, referred to as Jane Doe to protect her identity, whispered during the call that she was being held captive in a house near a laundromat. Her abductor, Shawn Grate, was asleep beside her. Emergency dispatcher Sara Miller worked tirelessly to keep the caller calm and guide officers to the scene without alerting the captor.
“They can’t just gang-bust into a house. What if he’d have woken up with a weapon and hurt her?” Miller recalled.
Officer Curt Dorsey led the rescue mission, ensuring the team approached stealthily. As he circled the property, Dorsey spotted Jane Doe’s hand through a window. She had managed to untie herself and was signaling for help.
“I saw her outstretched hand through a window, and I knew at that point she was in there,” Dorsey said. “I would’ve gone through the wall to get her.”
Shawn Grate’s Arrest
Within 19 minutes, officers safely rescued Jane Doe and arrested Shawn Grate. During her captivity, Jane Doe had bravely grabbed Grate’s phone to call for help despite the bedroom door being stripped of its doorknob. Once officers arrived, she seized the opportunity to escape the room and approach a window for rescue.
Grate, 40, was taken into custody on the scene, and the subsequent investigation revealed the extent of his heinous crimes.
The Investigation and Confession
Detective Kim Mager was brought in to interview both Jane Doe and Shawn Grate. Through 33 hours of interviews conducted over eight days, Mager used empathy and a calm approach to get Grate to confess.
Grate admitted to the abduction and assault of Jane Doe and revealed he had murdered five women:
- Elizabeth Griffith
- Stacy Stanley
- Candice Cunningham
- Dana Lowrey
- Rebekah Leicy
The bodies of Elizabeth Griffith and Stacy Stanley were discovered on the property where Jane Doe had been held captive.
Remembering Elizabeth Griffith
Elizabeth Griffith was remembered as a kind-hearted individual whose life was tragically cut short. Her church friend, Cindi Mathys, expressed the heartbreak of losing Elizabeth.
“We just sobbed and sobbed because it had come to a conclusion that we were not going to see our friend again,” Mathys shared.
The Legacy of the Case
Shawn Grate was convicted of the murders of Stanley and Griffith and the abduction and assault of Jane Doe in May 2018, receiving the death penalty. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to the murders of Cunningham, Leicy, and Lowrey.
Detective Mager chronicled the case in her book, “A Hunger to Kill,” to highlight the impact of the crimes on victims’ families and ensure the story would never be forgotten.
“This stuff cannot happen and have us just move on to the next scenario,” Mager said.
A Story of Courage
Jane Doe’s bravery in making the 911 call and aiding police in her rescue ultimately stopped a serial killer in his tracks. Dispatcher Sara Miller expressed admiration for Jane Doe’s resilience:
“She did an amazing job freeing herself, getting the phone, calling for help, helping us catch him. Who knows how many other women he would’ve killed?”
The case serves as a chilling reminder of the importance of vigilance and the courage it takes to confront evil. Elizabeth Griffith and the other victims will forever be remembered as their stories continue to inspire efforts to prevent such tragedies in the future.