PR: Female Found Murdered In Her Home, Suspect Still There

[icewater]

Murrieta, California


Date/Time Written:
3/20/200714:10

Type of Incident:
Homicide

Date/Time of Incident:
3/19/200711:15

Location of Incident:
33600 Mapleton Ave., Murrieta

Reporting Officer:
Lt. Dennis Vrooman

Reporting Officer Phone:
951-461-6366

File Number:
MR07-001861


Incident Summary


On 03/19/2007 at approx. 1115 hours, Murrieta police officers responded to the Sonoma at Mapleton apartment complex regarding a check the welfare on a female resident of the complex. The reporting person was an acquaintance of the victim who had a phone conversation with the victim before 1000 hours from a location outside Riverside County. The reporting person heard the victim yelling in fear as though she may have been confronted by someone, then the phone was disconnected. When the victim did not report for work at 1000 hours, the reporting person was concerned enough to drive to her apartment. With the assistance of the apartment management, entry was made inside the apartment. The female victim was found on the floor inside the master bedroom of the apartment with another unidentified male on top of her body. Both the male and female were found to be unclothed.


Murrieta police were then called and made entry into the upstairs apartment and found signs of a struggle inside the apartment. The female was pronounced dead at the scene by Murrieta Fire Department paramedics. The male was found to be unconscious and incoherent due to apparent self-induced drug ingestion and was transported by ambulance to Inland Valley Medical Center and remains in guarded condition.


The decedant has been identified as Ever Council, 34 years old and the resident of the Murrieta apartment. The male has been identified as her former boyfriend, Wade Griffin III, 38 years old, also from Murrieta. Griffin's vehicle was found in the parking lot of the apartment complex and is being processed for potential evidentiary value. Griffin is believed to the sole person responsible for Council's death.


The cause of death was determined as strangulation during the autopsy which occurred at 0900 hours on 03/20/2007. The possibility of sexual assault still remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Jim Ganley at 951-461-6361.