A Sanford, NC man and his mother have pleaded guilty last month in connection with a horrific assault that left 21-year-old Ashanti Downey with burns covering more than 70% of her body.
Prosecutors said Jami Raiziah Griffin, 24, admitted to dousing Downey with gasoline and setting her on fire with a cigarette during a December 16, 2024 attack. Last month, Griffin accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 7 to 10 years at Granville Correctional Institution for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. Charges of attempted first-degree murder and assault on a female were dropped as part of the agreement.
His mother, Latonya Murchison, 45, also pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of justice for attempting to cover up her son’s crime. Instead of prison, she was given up to two years of probationand ordered to complete 100 hours of community service at a burn center.
Downey, who was reportedly living with Griffin at the time of the attack, has undergone at least seven surgeries and continues to face a long recovery. Friends and supporters say her resilience has been remarkable in the months since the assault.
Authorities have not said what led to the attack, and court records offer no clear motive.
