Ernestine Griffin, 74, was found murdered in her Indianapolis home in the summer of 1987. Investigators concluded she died from a knife wound to the chest and a blow to the head. A piece of paper at the scene bearing the name and phone number of Howard Arthur Allen became a key physical clue.

A neighbor told police Allen had spoken with Griffin about buying a car the neighbor had for sale, and Griffin’s camera was later recovered at the car wash where Allen worked. Allen admitted to striking Griffin but denied killing her. He was charged with murder, felony murder, and robbery; a jury convicted him on all counts, and the court initially imposed the death penalty on August 30, 1988. That sentence was later overturned because of a finding of mental retardation and his punishment was reduced to 60 years. Allen had been suspected in other crimes involving elderly women and had a prior voluntary manslaughter conviction in the death of an 85-year-old woman.

Did anyone in Indianapolis know Ernestine Griffin or have information about her contacts in the weeks before that summer 1987 killing?