Couple’s plan to poison, bomb and kidnap Alabama woman’s ex-husband ends with suspect dead, documents show

An apparent love triangle in east Alabama has ended with a man and woman behind bars in an alleged plot to murder the woman’s ex-husband.

Stevie Earl Harris, 23, and Christian Faith Griffin, 25, are charged with kidnapping and attempted murder of Griffin’s ex-husband, James Hunter Griffin.

Both remain in custody at the Clay County Jail.

The plan, which was put in place five days ago, included the threat of a truck bomb and an attempt to force the victim to drink transmission fluid. Instead, one of the suspects was shot dead.

The Griffins divorced in 2022, but in court records, he described her as his girlfriend and the couple share two young children. She was also apparently in a relationship with Harris, unbeknownst to James Griffin.

According to court documents, James Griffin was sitting in his truck on Thursday, September 5, about to leave for work when he heard a loud banging noise on the driver’s side window.

James Griffin told Clay County sheriff’s investigators that a gun was pointed at him and Harris told him to get out of the vehicle and get on his knees.

James Griffin complied and heard a clicking noise, according to charging documents.

“Mr. Griffin stated that he believed Mr. Harris was going to shoot him at that moment, so much so that he gritted his teeth when he heard the sound of the gun clicking,” an investigator wrote.

Harris then asked James Griffin to stand up and walked him to the passenger side of his truck, still at gunpoint.

James Griffin got into the truck and Harris walked around to the driver’s side and climbed inside.

Harris told the victim that his truck was loaded with explosives and that “today was the day he was going to die” and that if he tried anything stupid, they would both die.

When Harris tried to put the vehicle in reverse, he placed his gun on his lap, records show.

“This gave Mr. Griffin sufficient time to retaliate and elbow Mr. Harris in the face,” according to the criminal complaint.

The gun then fired several times as James Griffin forced Harris out of the vehicle.

Harris was hit in the right calf.

“Mr. Griffin stated that he took Mr. Harris to the ground, grabbed his gun from under the driver’s seat, fired two shots into the ground and grabbed a 2×4 from the back of his truck and began hitting him in the head multiple times,” the complaint states.

James Griffin said he punched Harris repeatedly in the head because he kept trying to grab something.

The arrest warrant also states that Harris attempted to force James Griffin to drink transmission fluid.

According to the documents, Christian Griffin is charged because she knew about the plan to kidnap and kill James Griffin and provided information that could have aided in that plan.

Christian Griffin and Harris were arrested Friday. Harris remains in jail on $100,000 bail.

Harris was denied bail following an Aniah’s Act hearing before District Judge David Law on Monday.