Unlock the Killer in the family Vault today https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

Get ad-free, early access episodes and one bonus episode every months with exclusive access to the Killer in the family Vault https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

________________________________________________________________ 

Come and join me at CrimeCon in London on the 3rd and 4th of October! Get your ticket at crimecon.co.uk and use code FAMILY to get 10% off.  

In early May 1999 34 year old mother of three Debbie Griggs was reported missing from Deal in Kent. She was 18 weeks pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband Andrew Griggs told police that Debbie left their house after an argument just never came back.

Although police doubted Griggs story of events, they didn’t have enough evidence to charge him at the time as the search for Debbie continued to turn up nothing. It would take her family over 20 years to finally see justice.

Prompted by Debbie’s family to re-investigate in 2015, Kent Police Cold Case team took up Debbie’s case.

What they found was evidence of coercive control, sexual abuse by Griggs and forensic evidence that meant they could finally arrest Debbie’s husband for her murder. Griggs was later convicted of her murder and started serving a prison sentence.

In 2022, police received a new lead on where Debbie’s body might be – from the most unexpected source – one of Debbie’s now adult children.

The body of Debbie and her 18 week old unborn baby was found in the garden of Griggs’ house in Dorset that he moved into in 2001. She was finally laid to rest.

This is the story of Debbie Griggs.

Information and support 

• Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans 
• Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) Home - AAFDA 
• Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid 
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247 
• Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America 
• Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline 

References 

The vanishing of Debbie Griggs documentary https://youtu.be/yJEKJv05vqo?si=-eC5CfoudLJphGal

Andrew Griggs: The wife killer who escaped justice for 20 years - BBC News

Debbie Griggs death: Murder accused 'was having sex with girl, 15' - BBC News

Andrew Griggs: Killer who hid pregnant wife’s body under patio for 23 years asked son to dig up her remains | The Independent

Debbie Griggs: Remains found of woman murdered by husband in 1999 - BBC News

Extended prison sentence for murderer | The Crown Prosecution Service

'People say I'm naive and in denial': Woman married to convicted killer she says is a 'true gentleman' still does not believe he murdered his first wife | Daily Mail Online

Documentary The Vanishing of Debbie Griggs to air on Sky Crime this weekend

25 years on: Kent Police detectives on finding Debbie Griggs and bringing killer husband Andrew Griggs to justice

Andrew Griggs jailed for murdering pregnant wife Debbie - BBC News

Credits 

Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton 

Produced by Clare Laxton 

Part of W!ZARD Studios @wizradio 

Music by Pixabay 

If you want early access, ad-free episodes of Killer in the family as well as one bonus episode per month, unlock the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily

If you’re enjoying the podcast and would like to support its running, please consider buying me a coffee buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.