Vigil set for couple tortured and murdered in Bellerose, Queens; suspect Jamel McGriff charged with murder
A vigil for a Queens couple who was tortured and killed is set to be held Friday evening.
The vigil for Frank and Maureen Olton is set to take near their home in Bellerose around 7:30 p.m.
Meantime, the suspect who allegedly tortured and killed the elderly couple before setting their home on fire has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder.
For each victim, Jamel McGriff, 42, was charged Thursday with multiple counts of first degree murder, two counts of robbery, three charges of burglary, grand larceny, kidnap abduction resulting in death, kidnapping, arson, criminal possession of a weapon, identity theft and criminal possession of stolen property.
McGriff was escorted from the 107 Precinct Thursday evening. When met with reporter questions, he responded by deflecting, spouting unsubstantiated accusations about the victims of the crimes he's charged with.
He appeared in court late Thursday night, where he was arraigned and held without bail.
McGriff was arrested Wednesday evening in Times Square after a multi-day manhunt.
Police say McGriff set Frank and Maureen Olton, 76 and 77 years old, on fire Monday after spending five hours inside their home.
Officers say he was walking around earlier in the day knocking on neighbors' doors and asking to charge his phone.
Despite initially believing Frank Olton let McGriff into his home, a new analysis of surveillance videos appears to show that was not the case.
Detectives now believe the victim told the suspect to hand over his phone and wait by the gate as he charged it inside, but once inside the gate, the suspect appears to have taken advantage of Olton's kindness by pushing his way into the house.
The surveillance video recovered by police has audio, and on it detectives believe they can hear Olton ordering the suspect to "get the f- out of here."
The victims' family, who requested privacy, released a photo of Frank and Maureen Olton on Thursday night.
New details from McGriff's arraignment revealed that he was tracked on video from Queens Herald Square. Officials say he went straight to Macy's where he used Frank Olton's credit card to purchase $500 in luxury clothes but used his own Macy's rewards account number, with his own name.
He was caught on video at the Regal Union Square movie theater in a recliner, watching a movie with tickets purchased with Frank Olton's credit card.
McGriff, described by police as a career criminal, is a level 3 sex offender with a lengthy criminal record stretching 30 years. He was released from prison in 2023.
McGriff served 16 years in prison for an armed robbery and is wanted in two more armed robberies this summer.
He now faces multiple, consecutive life sentences if convicted in the murder of the couple.
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