Jeffery Lee Griffin was born in 1955 in Houston, Texas, into a family with several children. From as early as five years old, Griffin exhibited signs of mental illness, leading to multiple commitments to state hospitals starting at age eleven. In the summer of 1978, he was released under clinical supervision and returned to Houston, where he found work as a male fashion model. Neighbors described him as a regular presence in Moody Park, often playing basketball and not known for violent behavior.

On July 23, 1978, the partially nude body of 20-year-old waitress Sylvia Mendoza was discovered in a trash bin. She had been stabbed 49 times. Griffin was among those questioned but claimed to have witnessed her abduction without being able to identify the perpetrator. Due to a lack of evidence, he was released.

On March 13, 1979, Griffin entered the One Stop Drive-In convenience store in his neighborhood with the intent to rob it. He threatened 19-year-old employee David Sobotik and his 7-year-old friend, Horacio DeLeon, who was visiting at the time. After stealing $175, Griffin forced both into Sobotik's car and drove them to an isolated location. There, he stabbed both victims multiple times around the heart area. Griffin later claimed he apologized to DeLeon each time he stabbed him.

Following the murders, Griffin contacted the police, claiming he had witnessed two men abduct Sobotik and DeLeon. His account was inconsistent, and upon further questioning, he confessed to the murders of both victims and to the earlier murder of Mendoza. He also disclosed the location of the knife used in the killings.

Griffin was charged solely with the murder of David Sobotik. During his trial, he was observed carrying comic books in his back pocket. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. His execution was initially scheduled for June 14, 1984, but was delayed due to appeals. A final appeal to the Supreme Court in 1992 was denied.

On November 19, 1992, Griffin was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas. He spent his final moments laughing with the prison chaplain and bidding farewell to his mother, aunt, and fiancée, Regina, from England. His last words were, "You're a good warden. I'll see you. I'm ready."