Annapolis, Maryland police say they’ve finally solved the decades-old murder of Garnet Elizabeth Griffith, a 47-year-old federal employee found dead in her home in January 1989. Detectives announced the arrest of 53-year-old William Cook Jr. on Thursday, closing one of the city’s longest-running cold cases.
Cook, who lives in Annapolis, was taken into custody without incident and is charged with first- and second-degree murder and first- and second-degree rape, according to online court records. Police Chief Ed Jackson called the arrest “a testament to the unwavering commitment of our detectives, both past and present.”
At First Believed an Accident
On January 11, 1989, Griffith was discovered at her house on Kensington Way after failing to show up for work at the Federal Home Loan Bank Board in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a librarian. A concerned friend went to check on her and found her body around 10:30 a.m.
At first, investigators thought Griffith had fallen down the stairs and struck her head on a table. But a medical examiner quickly determined that she had been shot in the back of the head, and her death was ruled a homicide. Griffith’s quiet suburban home showed no signs of forced entry, puzzling detectives.
Neighbors described her as a reserved, independent woman who had lived on Kensington Way for about two years. The lack of leads left police with few answers.
Detectives Never Stopped Looking
The case lingered for more than three decades, revisited multiple times by new investigators. According to police, fresh evidence and renewed cooperation among local and state agencies finally led them to Cook. An arrest warrant was issued on October 8, 2025, and he was taken into custody the following day.
Cook mowed Griffith’s lawn as a teenager in 1989.
Chief Jackson credited the Cold Case Team, led by Deputy Chief Stan Brandford, Detective Corporal Will Noel, and Sergeant Castor Redondo, for their persistence. He also thanked State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess and Mayor Gavin Buckley for their support in bringing the investigation to its long-awaited conclusion.
“We Never Gave Up on Garnet”
“This arrest brings some measure of closure to the victim’s family,” Jackson said. “It shows our community that we will never stop fighting for justice. To all the families still grieving from open cold cases — we will continue to investigate and bring those responsible to justice.” Cook remains held without bond as prosecutors prepare their case.
A Life Remembered
For 36 years, the name Garnet Griffith represented one of Annapolis’s great mysteries — a woman found dead in her own home, her killer unknown. Now, with an arrest finally made, police say the case stands as proof that time does not erase the pursuit of truth.
Sources: Annapolis Police, WTOP News, CBS News
