A Florida Football Star Was Murdered After A Big Homecoming Game

Norman “Pooh” Griffith had his eyes set on the NFL when he was killed in 2008.

December 13, 2022

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Screenshot from ID's "Murder under the Friday Night Lights")

Sept. 26, 2008 was homecoming at Pahokee High School — home of the Blue Devils — and senior linebacker Norman “Pooh” Griffith was having a spectacular night. The big plays and quarterback sacks led the Blue Devils to a win that night, and Griffith had plans to attend a dance in the neighboring town of Belle Glade after the game.

The relationship between Pahokee and Belle Glade was tense; there was an intense rivalry between the football powerhouses, and their annual Muck Bowl was looming. There had been rumors of fights and threats between students at the high schools, but the night was about to take a deadly turn.

Griffith and a friend were in a vehicle outside the Boys and Girls Club where the dance was being held when there was some kind of skirmish. Griffith, who was described by family and friends as a “good kid” tried to leave in his mother’s 2004 Dodge Durango.

Instead, shots rang out through the night, and Griffith was struck in the head as he tried to leave. The vehicle traveled a short distance before crashing into a pole.

The first officers on the scene found the football star with a bullet in his head. They attempted CPR until medics arrived, but Griffith died after being flown to a hospital.

As investigators canvassed the scene, they recovered 11 shell casings from two different weapons — a .380 and a .40 caliber handgun.

There were multiple witnesses who had been milling around when the shooting broke out. Initially, investigators believed that the shooting was related to the football rivalry because Griffith was wearing Pahokee colors when he arrived at the dance. Police learned from the witnesses that there had been a short teen with dreadlocks as well as another teen with a black t-shirt and black bandana over his face.

Meanwhile, an autopsy revealed that it was one of the .380 slugs that ultimately took Griffith’s life. The shooting rocked the tight-knit community as they waited for answers on what had happened. As dozens of witnesses were interviewed, cops began to hear a common name and zeroed in on their suspect.

The true culprit, however, was more shocking and closer to home than the Griffith family could have ever imagined.

Find out who killed Pooh Griffith on Murder Under The Friday Night Lights on ID on Dec. 14 at 10/9c. More episodes are available now on discovery+.

Next Up

A Minnesota Neighborhood Was Ripped Apart Over A Dispute Turned Deadly

In August of 2016, all hell broke loose when one neighbor accused another of breaking his lawn mower.

The Tragic Murder Of Christina Grimmie

The 22-year-old singer was shot to death by an obsessive fan after a concert in June 2016.

New York Man’s Murder Charge Vacated After Deceptive Photo Lineup Sent Him To Prison For 18 Years

Sheldon Thomas was arrested after a witness chose the picture of another man with his same name.

Police Crack Case Of Ohio Mother Fatally Shot While Leaving Home For Her FedEx Job

“I thought monsters weren’t real, but you proved me wrong,” the victim’s young daughter told the killer in court.

Texas Authorities Believe Man Who Killed High School Cheerleader Was Planning Serial Murders

Tristan Dilley, 15, helped rescue her suspected killer during Hurricane Harvey after seeing his post for help on Facebook.

Investigation Into The Murder Of Openly Gay Ohio Coal Miner Reveals A Secret Affair

The killer “was terrified [of] what Brad McGarry could do to blow up his life,” police say.

20-Year-Old Woman Fatally Shot After Vehicle Pulled Into Wrong Driveway

A Hebron, New York homeowner has been charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly shot at a car that pulled into his driveway, killing passenger Kaylin Gillis.

Quadruple Homicide In Texas Yogurt Shop Remains Unsolved After Over 30 Years

Who brutally murdered teenagers Eliza Thomas, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison, and Amy Ayers in 1991?

South Carolina Store Owner Charged With Murder After Shooting Of 14-Year-Old Boy

14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton was allegedly chased, shot, and killed by the owner of a convenience store on May 28, 2023. Rick Chow, 58, has since been charged with his murder.

Idaho Man Faces 4 Murder Charges After Allegedly Shooting His Neighbors

A 31-year-old Idaho man reportedly “lost it” after he claimed one of his teen neighbors exposed himself to his young daughters.