Griffin’s former best friend says Griffin told him Strussion tried to put hit on Griffin
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Andrew Isaac Griffin's former best friend Brett Cole testified that Griffin murdered his Salsa Joe's business partner Thomas Strussion and Strussion's wife Angela because Griffin claimed Thomas Strussion tried to put a hit out on him.
"He had talked about Tom trying to put a hit out on him, so it was pretty much a kill or be killed situation," Cole said.
Griffin is accused of killing the Strussions and setting fire to their Trails End Drive home near Belmont in September 2021.
Cole added that leading up to the murders that Griffin told him that Strussion had racked up a large debt with some unsavory people and he tried to make it seem like the debt was Griffin's and not Strussion's.
He added that the plan was to just kill Thomas Strussion and not his wife, but when Griffin entered the home, the couple was there and Griffin allegedly started arguing with Thomas Strussion and shot husband and wife.
Griffin’s trial resumed on Monday morning at 9 a.m. in Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Following their return from lunch, Griffin’s attorney Samuel H. Shamansky was scheduled to cross-examine Cole.