Viswa Vanapalli
On the latest episode of Investigation Discovery’s ‘True Crime Story: It Couldn’t Happen Here,’ the viewers learn about the tragic story of a young father. Christian Griggs was gunned down outside his estranged father-in-law’s home after he got there to pick up his then-4-year-old daughter, Jaden. Katie Griggs, who had been separated from Christian, was inside the house when the shooting occurred. So, if you’re wondering what happened to her, here’s what we know.
Who is Katie Griggs?
Katie Chisenhall grew up in Angier, North Carolina, and was described as a reserved and pretty girl. Her father, Pat Chisenhall, became a pastor when he was 29. Katie was the younger child and had an elder brother named Patrick. Katie met Christian at Harnett Central High School in North Carolina, and the two began dating soon after. Katie got pregnant during their senior year, and their daughter, Jaden, was born in November 2008, just months after high school graduation.
While Christian initially attended North Carolina State University on a full ROTC scholarship, he dropped out after a year and enlisted in the Army to provide for his daughter. Christian’s parents later stated that Katie would often accuse them of disrespecting her. Tensions were high between everyone involved, with Katie’s parents and Christian’s parents not meeting until four months after the couple’s January 2009 wedding. The marriage wasn’t without its difficulties. Christian spent time in Iraq as part of his deployment, with the tour ending in August 2011.
Later, Christian and Katie bought a home in Harlem, Georgia, but their time there was marked by many issues. In May 2012, Katie called 911 to report that Christian had locked himself with a gun; she thought he would kill himself. When the police arrived, he told them it was only to scare Katie. Then, in September 2012, while Katie was in Georgia, she called 911 to say that Christian had threatened to kill himself. At the time, he was at his parents’ home in North Carolina. Christian told the police he was sleeping and had only talked to Katie a few hours prior.
The following day, she was in Angier and called 911 again, saying Christian refused to leave and that they argued about Jaden’s custody. The couple tried to make it work again before finally calling it quits in 2013. Christian got Jaden on alternate weekends, and on October 11, 2013, he went to pick her up. However, an argument ensued, and Katie later told the police that Christian ripped out an AC unit and damaged a window. That same evening, Katie and Pat had written warrants for Christian’s arrest for breaking and entering and domestic criminal trespassing.
On the morning of October 12, 2013, Christian returned to pick up Jaden, but what happened later remained in question. Pat told the police that Christian was angry and had been threatening. So, the pastor asked his daughter to go into the house. Then, Pat claimed that Christian started banging on the doors and windows of the home and wanted Katie to come out. Katie, who said she had been hiding in a closet before the shooting, called 911 and alleged Christian had threatened them and broken into the house. In the end, Pat claimed to have shot his estranged son-in-law in self-defense.
Katie Griggs Prefers to Lead a Quiet Life Today
Katie Griggs’ account of the event was sealed by the court in Harnett County, North Carolina, with only Pat’s version of the events publicly available. She was present at her father’s wrongful death trial filed by Christian’s parents, where he was ultimately found civilly liable. For now, Katie has custody of Jaden, who is a teenager today.
As of 2018, Katie Griggs has been in legal back-and-forth with Christian’s parents regarding their access to Jaden. In the years that followed, Katie remarried, and in January 2018, filed paperwork for Jaden to take her husband’s name. “That is also my married name and she wants our names to be the same,” her petition read. It was reportedly granted in the following month. From what we can tell, she still lives in North Carolina but prefers to keep her life private.
Read More: How did Christian Griggs Die?
