Griggs was ordered to be committed to Summit Behavioral Healthcare in Cincinnati for treatment, with reports on his treatment to be sent to the court within six months of his commitment. A hearing on the matter was set for July 22.
Griggs was accused of breaking into and severely damaging a former church at 3680 Wagner Ford Road.
The property built in 1885, dubbed Castle Morningstar by its owners, was converted into two apartments and a photography studio and is surrounded by Willow View Cemetery.
The building was featured in October in the four-episode “Scariest House in America” series, a spinoff of HGTV’s “Ugliest House in America” show. The local owners lost out to a chance for a $150,000 home makeover.
According to a Vandalia Municipal Court affidavit, Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies were called at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 29, 2024, for a report of a man throwing rocks or bricks at the windows.
Security camera footage showed that the man, later identified as Griggs, had been there since 3 a.m., a sheriff’s office report read.
The residents were not home at the time of the break-in.
Griggs was found inside the building, and admitted to deputies that he had caused the damage, the affidavit said.
Damage was extensive. Multiple windows were broken, including an antique stained glass window, as well as equipment, furniture and other property. Small decorative items were thrown onto the lawn, and a car in the parking lot had both windshields and all of its windows smashed.
According to the sheriff’s report, Griggs said that he broke into the building because he heard a woman screaming, and destroyed the items when he didn’t find anyone inside.
This is not the first time Griggs was charged for an incident near the property. In October 2023, Griggs pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor desecration charge involving the Willow View Cemetery.
He was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 12 days and 78 days suspended and one year of non-reporting probation. He also was ordered to stay away from the cemetery, to complete outpatient treatment and commit no further crimes, according to court documents.
Staff writers Jen Balduf , Mandy Gambrell and Kristen Spicker contributed to this report.
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