The New York Police Department is actively searching for 42-year-old Jamel McGriff, who is wanted in connection with the brutal murders of Frank Olton, 76, and Maureen Olton, 77. The tragic incident occurred on Monday, September 8, as confirmed by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
According to Tisch, McGriff approached the Oltons’ home that morning under the pretense of needing to charge his dead cell phone battery. Surveillance video captured McGriff conversing with Frank Olton before being granted access to the couple’s backyard. The two then entered the home through the back door.
Approximately five hours later, video footage showed McGriff leaving the residence with a duffel bag and a paper bag. At 3:22 p.m., the New York City Fire Department responded to the house for a reported fire, which was triggered by an alert received by the couple’s son, an FDNY paramedic, from their home security system.
Once the fire was extinguished, authorities discovered Frank Olton in the basement, bound to a pole and suffering from multiple stab wounds. Maureen Olton was found on the first floor, severely burned. The specific causes of their deaths are still under investigation.
Commissioner Tisch emphasized that McGriff has a history of going door-to-door seeking assistance, only to gain entry to homes for nefarious purposes. She urged residents to be cautious and not to let anyone into their homes whom they do not know or expect.
McGriff was last spotted on Tuesday wearing a black T-shirt and was seen pawning two cell phones in the Bronx. He has a “lengthy, violent” criminal history that spans 30 years, including a 16-year prison sentence for a robbery in 2006. At the time of the Oltons’ murders, he was on parole and wanted for a series of robberies in Manhattan this summer, including an armed heist at a GameStop in July and an attempted robbery at a Verizon store in August. Additionally, he failed to register as a sex offender in November 2024.
Authorities have labeled McGriff as armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
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