LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrested James Griffin, 57, in connection with a deadly stabbing in Lake Worth Beach on Sunday.
According to police, dispatchers received a call at about 10 p.m. Sunday from Griffin's friend saying Griffin had stabbed his roommate to death. The roommate was identified as Dennis Lamy, 73.
In an interview with police, Griffin's friend said he got a call from Griffin on Sunday afternoon explaining he needed a ride because he had been kicked out by his roommate.
After meeting Griffin at a local grocery store and picking him up, Griffin explained to his friend that while he was out, Lamy had asked him via text to purchase illicit narcotics, possibly heroin or cocaine. When Griffin refused, he got into an argument with Lamy over text before going back to the residence.
Once at home, Griffin and Lamy continued to argue, and Lamy started calling Griffin profanities. Griffin told his friend that he then started punching Lamy and stabbing him with a knife. Griffin told his friend that he left the knife protruding from Lamy's body before leaving the home.
According to the arrest affidavit, Russell proceeded to drop Griffin off at the Walmart on Belvedere Road and South Military Trail because he wanted no further involvement in the incident.
Detectives learned through a background check that Griffin is currently on felony probation for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
With the information from Russell and the background check, deputies entered Griffin's home and saw blood splatter on the walls with Lamy lying unresponsive on the floor, covered in blood, arrest records say.
Lamy was pronounced dead by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and his death was ruled a homicide.
Surveillance video of Griffin in Russell's truck shows Griffin throwing a cellphone into the hedges, and it was confirmed by detectives that it was the device that belonged to Griffin.
Griffin now faces a charge of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and tampering with physical evidence. He is scheduled for his first appearance in court on Tuesday morning at the Palm Beach County courthouse.
