For most families, the days leading up to Christmas are filled with excitement.

Homes are decorated.

Children count down the days until Christmas morning.

Families make plans to gather around dinner tables and exchange gifts.

But in December 2017, one Knoxville family experienced something no family should ever have to endure.

Instead of celebrating Christmas together, they were preparing to bury someone they loved.

On December 23, 2017, just two days before Christmas, 36 year old Alfred Lamar Griffin, known to family and friends as “LG,” was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on Louise Avenue in East Knoxville. Officers with the Knoxville Police Department responded quickly after receiving reports of gunfire. Emergency personnel attempted to save his life, but LG died at the scene. 

The Christmas holiday arrived.

Justice did not.

More than seven years later, the person responsible for taking LG’s life has never been held accountable.

A Community Forever Changed

Every homicide leaves a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the victim.

Friends lose someone they laughed with.

Parents lose a child.

Siblings lose a brother.

Children lose a parent.

Neighborhoods lose another piece of the sense of safety they once had.

Whenever I research cases like LG’s, I try to remember that before he became another unsolved homicide, he was simply a man living his life.

He had people who expected to see him again.

He had people who loved him.

That is the part of every cold case that deserves just as much attention as the investigation itself.

Behind every police report is a family whose world stopped turning normally on the day they received the worst phone call imaginable.

The Investigation

According to the Knoxville Police Department, detectives immediately began interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence from the shooting scene. Shell casings, witness statements, surveillance opportunities, and forensic evidence all became pieces of an investigation that remains active today.

Despite years of investigative work, no arrests have been announced.

The Knoxville Police Department continues to list LG’s homicide among its unsolved murder investigations and encourages anyone with information to contact investigators or East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers. 

One thing I have learned studying criminal justice is that homicide investigations rarely stop simply because time has passed.

Evidence is reviewed again.

Witnesses are interviewed again.

Technology improves.

People who once refused to cooperate sometimes reconsider.

Cold cases often move forward one conversation at a time.

A Holiday That Carries Different Meaning

Every December, most people focus on Christmas lights and family traditions.

For LG’s family, December also marks another year without answers.

Anniversaries are difficult enough.

When they happen during the holidays, the grief often becomes even heavier.

Instead of celebrating, families are reminded of empty chairs around the dinner table.

They remember phone calls that never came.

Conversations that were never finished.

Dreams that ended without warning.

No amount of time changes that reality.

My Thoughts as a Criminal Justice Major

Everything in this section reflects my personal opinions based on publicly available information. These theories are opinions only and should not be interpreted as established fact.

Theory One

The timing of this homicide makes me wonder whether investigators closely examined every interaction LG had during the days leading up to Christmas. Holidays often change routines. People attend gatherings, visit relatives, and encounter individuals they may not normally see. Reconstructing those movements could reveal overlooked investigative opportunities.

Theory Two

Because the shooting occurred in a residential area, I believe there is a strong possibility that someone witnessed important details without realizing their significance. A passing vehicle, unfamiliar person, or unusual conversation may have seemed ordinary at the time but could become valuable when viewed alongside other evidence.

Theory Three

I also believe advances in digital forensic technology could continue benefiting this investigation. Cell phone location data, cloud stored communications, social media interactions, and surveillance video enhancement have improved significantly since 2017. Evidence collected years ago may reveal new information when examined with today’s technology.

Theory Four

Another possibility is that the offender was familiar with the neighborhood. Choosing where to commit a homicide often reflects knowledge of traffic patterns, escape routes, and areas with limited surveillance. Understanding that familiarity could help narrow investigative focus.

Theory Five

Finally, I believe someone has lived with this secret for years. Many cold cases remain unsolved because witnesses fear retaliation or feel loyalty toward someone involved. As relationships change over time, those barriers often weaken. History has repeatedly shown that one honest conversation can completely change the direction of a homicide investigation.

Why This Case Still Matters

Alfred Lamar Griffin should have been celebrating Christmas with the people who loved him.

Instead, his family spent the holidays mourning an unimaginable loss.

No family should have to associate Christmas with homicide.

Someone knows what happened on Louise Avenue that December night.

Someone has information that could help investigators finally identify the person responsible.

Until that day comes, LG’s story deserves to be remembered.

Not simply because his case remains unsolved.

But because his life mattered.

Every cold case is a reminder that justice does not expire.

Neither does the hope that one day the truth will finally come to light.

References

1. Knoxville Police Department. Unsolved Murder Cases. Alfred Lamar “LG” Griffin case listing. https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/police_department/unsolved_murder_cases
2. East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers. Unsolved homicide information for Alfred Lamar Griffin. https://www.easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org
3. WBIR Channel 10. Coverage of the December 23, 2017 homicide investigation in East Knoxville.
4. WVLT News. Local reporting on the Louise Avenue shooting and anniversary appeals for information.
5. Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived reporting on the homicide of Alfred Lamar Griffin and ongoing investigative efforts.