PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — How did a young mother reported missing in Tampa wind up dead on the side of the road in rural Pasco County?
One year later, the circumstances surrounding Teneisha Griffith’s disappearance and death remain a mystery.
Her family is again turning to 8 On Your Side to make an emotional plea for someone to come forward and help deputies solve this case.
“This situation has changed our lives forever,” Teneisha’s mother Maria Thomas said.
Thomas said the questions she still wants answered are “who killed her and why.”
Teneisha was the youngest of four sisters. Her daughter Chelsea is now in the sixth grade.
“I miss her a lot and I loved her a lot,” Chelsea said.
Chelsea last spoke with her mom on March 18, 2022.
Six days later, deputies made the horrific discovery in the Lachoochee area near the Pasco-Hernando County line. They discovered Teneisha’s body dumped on the side of the road more than 50 miles from her South Tampa home.
“She was a good person and she didn’t deserve it,” Chelsea said.
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office had no new information when 8 On Your Side reached out this week for an update. Deputies have not made an arrest nor have they publicly identified any suspects.
“I’m not gonna let go of hope, not gonna let go of faith,” Teneisha’s sister Darcelle said, “because I feel like in the spirit this person has already been arrested and it’s just a matter of coming forward.”
Teneisha’s mother and sisters are desperate for a break in the case in order to bring them closure.
“There’s somebody out there who knows something,” Thomas said. “There’s somebody out there that can make that phone call and we have a $50,000 reward.”
The family is organizing a community event on Saturday, April 8 at Rowlett Park in Tampa to raise awareness about this case.
Detectives are still seeking tips from the public, so anyone with information about what happened to Teneisha between March 19-24, 2022 should call the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. Tips can be submitted anonymously through CrimeStoppers by calling 1-800-873-TIPS (8477) or online.
