Dec. 31—A 23-year-old Barbecue man was charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury and assault on a female. The first two charges are felonies.
Jami Raiziah Griffin was arrested Friday, Dec. 27 and initially held without bond. His bond was modified on Monday, Dec. 30 by District Court Judge Joy A. Jones to $1 million for each felony, or $2 million total. He also has a secured $8,000 bond set for the misdemeanor charge. Griffin was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim or her family. He has a disposition hearing set for Jan. 14, 2025.
Griffin allegedly doused Ashanti Downey with gasoline and set her on fire while she was walking on NC 27 and Barbecue Church Road on Monday, Dec. 16. Downey, who according to her mother turns 21 on Jan. 1, was in critical but stable condition at the UNC Burn Center on Friday, Dec. 27, according to a release from the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office.
Downey’s mother, Donecia Davis, set up a GoFundMe account for her. As of Monday, $100,343 had been raised.
In a Dec. 23 press release, HCSO said it was looking for information on three people who allegedly doused Downey with gas and set her on fire with a cigarette.
According to eCourts, Griffin is living at 646 Barbecue Church Road, which is about a mile from a Dollar General. He previously was listed with an address at 505 Oakwood Ave. in Sanford.
Griffin has been arrested numerous times in the past two years with charges in Harnett and Lee counties.
He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon on April 27, 2020 in Sanford. He was allegedly carrying a .45 caliber Springfield XD handgun, according to the arrest warrant.
In that case, he was arrested on April 10, 2023 and failed to appear in court in November 2023 and April 2024. He posted a $1,000 secured bond the first time and a $2,000 secured bond the second time. The third time he was arrested, Griffin was given a $4,000 unsecured bond. He faces a Dec. 31 disposition hearing in that case.
Griffin was charged in Harnett County with driving on a revoked license, expired registration, altered tag, no inspection and failure to secure a passenger under 16 stemming from June 25, 2022. Those charges were dismissed on Jan. 20, 2023. No details were available in eCourts.
He was charged stemming from Feb. 12, 2024 in Lee County for driving with a revoked license, no registration, altered tag, no inspection and failure to wear a seat belt. He pleaded guilty to driving without a license and no inspection, and the other charges were dismissed. He was ordered to pay $233, but he faces failure to comply dated Nov. 14 in eCourts.
He was also charged stemming from Sept. 30, 2024 in Lee County for driving with a revoked license, altered tag, no insurance, no inspection and failure to reduce speed. A disposition hearing in that case is set for Feb. 20, 2025.
Griffin was charged with making threatening phone calls stemming from Oct. 23, 2024. He was arrested Nov. 6 and released on a $1,000 unsecured bond. He failed to appear in court on Nov. 26 and was arrested again on Dec. 4. He posted a $2,000 secured bond on Dec. 6 when his grandfather, John Murchison, paid $300 for his release, according to eCourts.
In that case, Griffin allegedly threatened bodily harm to Wanda Lynette Bissette-Russell. He has a Jan. 7 disposition hearing.