Griffith house demolished
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
October 8, 2015
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/griffith-house-demolished/article_2700ee86-5af2-11e7-869e-10604b9f0f42.html
As the burned remains of what was once the home of Keith and Julie Griffith were demolished Wednesday morning, Tudor Boulevard residents breathed an almost audible sigh of relief.
For nearly two years, the charred dilapidated remains of the home, where Julie Griffith was found slain in January of last year, have served as a reminder for nearby residents of what transpired there.
Griffith, who was arrested the week after his wife's death, is accused of shooting her three times before setting fire to the home with her and their two dogs still inside. He remains in McCracken County Jail, awaiting a second trial, and faces charges of murder, arson and animal cruelty.
County Commissioner Bill Bartleman, who lives caddy corner from the Griffith residence, has been the most vocal advocate of tearing the structure down. On Wednesday, he said it's a relief to know it's finally done.
"I think all of us in Reidland are glad it's finally torn down," he said. "Every day we drove by and looked at that house, it was a reminder of what happened there, and it was a tragedy. We all wanted that reminder gone."
The house has been a bone of contention since last summer, when the county charged Griffith with violating a county property maintenance code due to the structure being unfit for human habitation.
County Attorney Sam Clymer, who spearheaded that campaign, said the charges were filed in an attempt to expedite the home's destruction.
However, initial efforts to sanction razing the home were thwarted when Circuit Judge Tim Kaltenbach, who is presiding over Griffith's case, ruled the house was to remain standing to preserve potential evidence.
In February, when the jury failed to reach a verdict in Griffith's first trial, resulting in a mistrial, Kaltenbach extended the home's preservation time.
Two months ago, Kaltenbach issued an order setting aside the preservation order, clearing the path for Clymer to renew his efforts to have the home destroyed.
Following the judge's order, Clymer said he had two options: he could revive the code violation case, which could be a lengthy process that would prove costly for the taxpayers, or he could negotiate with Griffith's home insurance provider and ask it to handle leveling the structure.
Clymer said he chose the latter, immediately reaching out to the insurance company's attorney to get the ball rolling.
By 11 a.m. Wednesday, approximately two months after Kaltenbach released the property, all that was left of the Griffith home was a pile of rubble.
The county attorney said the derelict remains presented dangers to the community with its structural instability and the fact that children or teenagers could wander inside and get hurt.
Additionally, he added, there were concerns among nearby residents that having a burned out house on their street could lower property values or deter buyers from purchasing homes in the area.
"This was in the best interest of the community," he said. "We wanted to restore the integrity of that neighborhood and remove the possible dangers that house imposed."
"We're all glad that monument to a tragedy has been cleared," Bartleman said. "Even my 8-year-old grandson would ask, at least once a week, when the house would be torn down. He knew somebody died there and he wanted it removed so he wouldn't be reminded of that. It was a blight on the neighborhood to have that damaged house there, so we're all glad it's down."
David Wommack, who lives a few blocks down from the Griffith house, agreed with Bartleman, saying the house's destruction did offer some relief, but did not alleviate the sadness.
"The issue was never the house," he said. "What happened in the house is the issue. It was sad when the house was there and it's going to still be sad even with the house not being there. It's nice to have it gone, but it doesn't take away the hurt."
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
For nearly two years, the charred dilapidated remains of the home, where Julie Griffith was found slain in January of last year, have served as a reminder for nearby residents of what transpired there.
Griffith, who was arrested the week after his wife's death, is accused of shooting her three times before setting fire to the home with her and their two dogs still inside. He remains in McCracken County Jail, awaiting a second trial, and faces charges of murder, arson and animal cruelty.
County Commissioner Bill Bartleman, who lives caddy corner from the Griffith residence, has been the most vocal advocate of tearing the structure down. On Wednesday, he said it's a relief to know it's finally done.
"I think all of us in Reidland are glad it's finally torn down," he said. "Every day we drove by and looked at that house, it was a reminder of what happened there, and it was a tragedy. We all wanted that reminder gone."
The house has been a bone of contention since last summer, when the county charged Griffith with violating a county property maintenance code due to the structure being unfit for human habitation.
County Attorney Sam Clymer, who spearheaded that campaign, said the charges were filed in an attempt to expedite the home's destruction.
However, initial efforts to sanction razing the home were thwarted when Circuit Judge Tim Kaltenbach, who is presiding over Griffith's case, ruled the house was to remain standing to preserve potential evidence.
In February, when the jury failed to reach a verdict in Griffith's first trial, resulting in a mistrial, Kaltenbach extended the home's preservation time.
Two months ago, Kaltenbach issued an order setting aside the preservation order, clearing the path for Clymer to renew his efforts to have the home destroyed.
Following the judge's order, Clymer said he had two options: he could revive the code violation case, which could be a lengthy process that would prove costly for the taxpayers, or he could negotiate with Griffith's home insurance provider and ask it to handle leveling the structure.
Clymer said he chose the latter, immediately reaching out to the insurance company's attorney to get the ball rolling.
By 11 a.m. Wednesday, approximately two months after Kaltenbach released the property, all that was left of the Griffith home was a pile of rubble.
The county attorney said the derelict remains presented dangers to the community with its structural instability and the fact that children or teenagers could wander inside and get hurt.
Additionally, he added, there were concerns among nearby residents that having a burned out house on their street could lower property values or deter buyers from purchasing homes in the area.
"This was in the best interest of the community," he said. "We wanted to restore the integrity of that neighborhood and remove the possible dangers that house imposed."
"We're all glad that monument to a tragedy has been cleared," Bartleman said. "Even my 8-year-old grandson would ask, at least once a week, when the house would be torn down. He knew somebody died there and he wanted it removed so he wouldn't be reminded of that. It was a blight on the neighborhood to have that damaged house there, so we're all glad it's down."
David Wommack, who lives a few blocks down from the Griffith house, agreed with Bartleman, saying the house's destruction did offer some relief, but did not alleviate the sadness.
"The issue was never the house," he said. "What happened in the house is the issue. It was sad when the house was there and it's going to still be sad even with the house not being there. It's nice to have it gone, but it doesn't take away the hurt."
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
