South Buffalo house where Jaylen Griffin was found dead is no stranger to law enforcement, neighbors say

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- 107 Sheffield Avenue is where the body of 12-year-old Jaylen Griffin was found Friday after a nearly four-year search for him. Those who live in the South Buffalo neighborhood say the area is relatively quiet, but the house where Griffin was found is no stranger to law enforcement.

The homicide investigation into who killed Jaylen Griffin is underway.

Griffin had been last seen at a corner store near his Warren Avenue home on Aug. 4, 2020, and was officially reported missing two days later.

The search for Griffin came to a tragic end after he was found dead inside 107 Sheffield Avenue.

According to police dispatch transcripts from Friday, Griffin's body was discovered in the attic of the multi-unit house by a maintenance man.

According to Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, the medical examiner confirmed Monday the body was indeed that of Griffin through dental records.

View the dispatch transcripts below:

Tuesday afternoon crime scene investigators hauled black bags with white tags out of the Sheffield Ahouse venue home where Griffin was found dead days earlier.

Property records revealed that the house was last sold in 2011 to Sunrise West LLC.

The company is registered to a Hamburg post office box.

Neighbors, who would not go on camera for an interview, were stunned to learn of the tragedy, telling News 4 they never saw or smelled anything. They say people they're not familiar with are consistently moving in and out of the house, adding that they've seen police at the house many times in the past.

Pastor Tim Newkirk of GYC ministries, who is close to the Griffin family, told News 4 that his search team canvassed the South Buffalo neighborhood where Griffin was found last year.

"The search for 'Where's Jaylen Griffin?' has come to a close. But now the search is 'What happened to Jaylen Griffin?' Who would do something like this to a 12-year-old boy?" Newkirk said.

While the discovery of Jaylen's body is a tragic sliver of relief for his father, many questions surrounding the circumstances of the young boy's death remain.

"How did he end up here? Was he moved? The questions are still remaining," Newkirk said. "How long was he dead? How long was he deceased? Was he found in something that was locked and had to be opened? And did a certain aroma come out that would be a major complaint to this community? This looks like the type of community where if anything is taking place somebody will report it, or say something."

VIDEO: Family of Jaylen Griffin continues search three years after his disappearance (Aug 5, 2023)

After the crime scene photographers and police officers left the Sheffield Avenue house Tuesday afternoon, a neighborhood woman left flowers and balloons in front of the home in memory of Griffin.

Griffin's mother, Joann Ponzo, sadly died in September, and will never know that her son had been found. In addition, shortly after Griffin went missing, his brother was shot and killed.

Crime Stoppers of WNY is offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of Jaylen Griffin's killer.

A candlelight vigil for Jaylen Griffin will be held on Monday at 6 p.m. off Paderewski Drive at Memorial Circle in Buffalo. It's what would have marked Griffin's 16th birthday.