MACON, Ga. — A Georgia man accused of murdering his mother and stepfather left a Darth Vader statuette on one of the bodies, according to the Macon Telegraph.
That was one of many bizarre details revealed during the trial, which started this week in Macon.
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Anthony Douglas Shoffner Jr., 27, is accused of stabbing his mother, 46-year-old Rebecca Griffin, and his stepfather, 42-year-old Kenneth Griffin to death on March 10, 2020 in Perry.
He had been living with the couple at the time that they were killed.
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Shoffner was a former correctional officer at a state prison in Macon County and had already served time for his involvement in a methamphetamine ring inside the prison. He was released in 2019, when he moved in with the Griffins, the Telegraph reported.
Kenneth Griffin’s body was found covered in a blanket with a Darth Vader figure, a coffee mug and single cowboy boot perched on his back. Prosecutor Eric Edwards offered some explanation for the bizarre display.
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“This is a case about brutality and indifference,” Edwards said, according to the Telegraph. “This goes beyond stabbing two people. ... After the two of them were stabbed to death there in the apartment, you’ll see the evidence that the killer covers their bodies in blankets and then ritualistically has placed household items on top of their bodies like totems.”
The judge declared a mistrial Wednesday after information that was supposed to be redacted was included in a video. Shoffner is expected to be retried in the coming weeks.
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