Double Murder Spreads Fear

By Jessica Taloney Reporter

The double murder of a pregnant teenager and her boyfriend is spreading fear throughout a south Mississippi community. Double Murder Spreads Fear

Published: Thu, January 24, 2008 - 6:56 pm

Jessica Taloney

When Jessica Alexander walks down the street she sees crime tape. Investigators have blocked off the home where Alexander's neighbors were found dead earlier this month.
"It's really scary. It's so close to home," said Alexander.
Investigators say Meleah Griffin, 18, and Dominick Johnson, 21, were killed in the mobile home they shared on Greenwood Lane in the Barton Community of George County.
Investigators have not released how the couple was killed, though Griffin's father says they were shot.
"She was pregnant," said Alexander. I just don't know who could do that to a pregnant woman," said Alexander.
More than ten days have passed since the murders, and with no arrest, rumors are starting to spread through town.
"We have spent, I couldn't even guess at the amount of hours trying to rundown rumors," said George County Sheriff Garry Welford.
An email and a cell phone text message are circulating, warning women about a new gang initiation. The only way to get in the gang, according to the message, is to rape and kill a woman.
"I don't know who could do something like that. I really don't know," said Trey Roberts, who's worried about his girlfriend's safety. "I worry about her living right here," he said.
But, Sheriff Welford says his investigators have checked into all the rumors and they've all lead no where.
"It's just a rumor mill up here right now," said Welford. "It's really causing us some investigative problems because when you come in with a rumor and you've heard this or you've heard that, we're gonna have to stop and pull off to investigate some of that stuff to prove it and disprove it," he said.
No suspects have been named in the case, but Welford tells News Five he does not believe this was a random crime. Welford says he thinks the person who killed the couple knew them.