Jaded Evidence · Interactive investigation · Ohio
Thomas and Angela Strussion: The Andrew Griffin Case
Belmont County, Ohio · Salsa Joe’s · September 21, 2021
Current legal status: Andrew Isaac Griffin has pleaded not guilty. WTOV reported that jury selection began Wednesday morning, October 21, 2026, at Belmont College. WTOV reported that the trial opened on October 26, 2026. The state and defense agreed to remove the death penalty to avoid further delay. Opening statements were delivered, jurors visited the former Strussion home, and six witnesses testified, including first responders and family members. Griffin has pleaded not guilty; the charges remain allegations.
October 26 update — trial opens; death penalty removed
WTOV reported that Andrew Griffin’s trial opened October 26. Prosecutors and the defense presented competing theories, jurors viewed the former Strussion home, and six witnesses testified, including first responders and family members. Angela Strussion’s father testified that, in conversations after the deaths, Griffin raised a possible “mob hit” theory. That statement is witness testimony, not a court finding. Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said both sides agreed to remove the death-penalty specification to avoid further delay. Griffin has pleaded not guilty, and the jury has not reached a verdict.
October 22 update — jury selection complete
WTOV reported that jury selection began Wednesday morning at Belmont College in the case involving Thomas and Angela Strussion. Lede News reported October 22 that jury selection is complete. Read the October 22 report.
Opening statements and testimony remain reported scheduled for October 26; jury selection is complete. The operative scheduling docket has not been obtained in this review. Griffin has pleaded not guilty, and the charges and capital specifications remain allegations unless and until proved in court.
A house fire led investigators to the deaths of Thomas and Angela Strussion. More than three years later, authorities arrested a former restaurant business partner. This case file follows the charging allegations, investigation and court proceedings.
Editorial standard: Charges, attorney assertions and investigative claims are attributed. Griffin is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
02 | Thomas and Angela Strussion
The FBI identifies Thomas as 52 and Angela as 48 at the time of their deaths. Thomas owned two Salsa Joe’s restaurants. They were found in their home on Trail’s End Drive in Belmont, Ohio, on September 21, 2021.
View More — The restaurant connection
Local reporting identifies Griffin as Thomas’s partner in the Elm Grove, Wheeling restaurant, which opened in 2021. That documented business relationship does not itself establish a motive.
03 | People and documented roles
Andrew Isaac Griffin: defendant and former restaurant business partner. Judge Chris Berhalter: presiding judge in Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Joe Vavra: assistant prosecutor identified in September 2026 hearing coverage.
View More — Investigators
Sheriff James Zusack’s statement identifies the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office investigation and assistance from Ohio BCI, the State Fire Marshal, FBI, Homeland Security and agencies in other states. Local reporting identifies detectives Ryan Allar and Jordan Blumling.
View More — Defense representation
October 22 reporting identifies Kate Clark of the Samuel H. Shamansky Law Office as Griffin’s defense attorney. Source: Lede News.
04 | Original charging allegations
The indictment reproduced by Lede News lists 12 aggravated-murder counts, one aggravated-arson count and one aggravated-burglary count. The murder counts present different alleged legal bases concerning two victims; they do not describe 12 homicide victims.
View More — Count groups and specifications
- Counts I–II: aggravated murder alleging prior calculation and design.
- Counts III–XII: aggravated murder under alternative felony-related theories.
- Count XIII: aggravated arson.
- Count XIV: aggravated burglary.
The published indictment text includes firearm and capital specifications. WTOV reported that the parties agreed on October 26 to remove the death-penalty specification to avoid further delay. A filed, court-stamped amended indictment or written order is still needed to confirm the precise operative specifications; the remaining charges are allegations.
05 | Interactive event-by-event timeline
Select an event to expand its source and verification limits.
View More — September 21, 2021 — Fire response and two deaths
Emergency crews responded to the Belmont home at approximately 7 a.m. The FBI says Thomas “Tom” and Angela Strussion were found dead and that the home had been deliberately set on fire. The sheriff later confirmed their pets were also found deceased.
View More — February 18, 2025 — Arrest in Hilo, Hawaii
Belmont County detectives and Hawaii officers arrested Griffin. The arrest followed a multistate investigation; it was an accusation, not a finding of guilt.
View More — February 28, 2025 — Grand-jury action
The sheriff’s March 3 statement dates the grand-jury presentation and aggravated-murder indictment to February 28. The published charging text contains 14 counts.
View More — March 2025 — Extradition and not-guilty plea
Griffin returned to Belmont County from Hawaii. March 18 reporting describes his Monday arraignment before Judge Chris Berhalter and a not-guilty plea to all 14 charges.
View More — August 14, 2026 — Jury-view planning
WTOV reported that the parties discussed trial and jury arrangements, including a planned visit to one cell-phone tower. The report does not establish the underlying location analysis or its accuracy.
View More — September 25, 2026 — No plea resolution; discovery disclosed
WTOV reported no agreement at the plea deadline. Assistant Prosecutor Joe Vavra described newly recovered physical items from Texas shared with the defense and crime-scene photographs provided by the sheriff’s office. Their significance remains to be established through the trial record.
View More — October 21–22, 2026 — Jury selection completed
Selection began October 21 at Belmont College; October 22 reporting confirms completion. The earlier schedule appears below.
View More — Monday, October 26, 2026 — Trial begins
Opening statements were delivered October 26. Jurors viewed the former Strussion home, and six witnesses testified, including first responders and family members. The parties agreed to remove the death-penalty specification. Griffin has pleaded not guilty, and no verdict has been reached. Source: WTOV Day 1 report.
06 | Investigation and evidence
View More — Fire scene and homicide findings
The FBI’s original notice describes homicide followed by a deliberately set fire. The sheriff confirms the deaths were classified as homicides. Full autopsy, ballistics and fire-origin reports have not been reviewed here.
View More — Physical items and photographs
September 25 reporting establishes disclosure of recovered Texas items and scene photographs, rather than a judicial finding about what they prove. Item descriptions, collection history and expert conclusions need the underlying exhibits.
View More — Cell-phone location evidence
The planned cell-tower visit makes the scope and limits of location evidence an issue to follow. No precise route, timestamp or device-location conclusion is asserted here.
07 | Prosecution and defense
View More — Prosecution allegations
The State alleges Griffin committed the killings and related arson and burglary. The indictment and discovery coverage frame the allegations; motive and the evidentiary link to Griffin require trial proof.
View More — Defense position
Griffin pleaded not guilty. Court TV’s October 26 opening-statement report says the defense disputed the circumstantial case, challenged witness reliability and argued that the state lacked proof placing Griffin at the scene. Those are defense arguments, not court findings. Court TV — opening statements.
08 | Courtroom developments
October 27, 2026 — Day 2: six witnesses; family, business and evidence collection
Transcript reconciliation (October 28): A published Day 2 courtroom transcript documents Lisa Balog’s testimony and defense cross-examination about the Strussions’ finances, cash and alternative explanations; Pam McKim of Belmont Savings Bank testified about business bank records and authorized signers on an AJS Holdings account. Being an authorized signer does not itself establish ownership. Ohio BCI agent Matt Austin described the collection and handling of items from the fire-damaged scene. These are witness statements and investigative procedures, not findings of Griffin’s guilt or proof of a DNA match. Exhibit numbering and admission status require reconciliation against the official court record. Day 2 courtroom transcript (Rev). An October 28 Day 3 stream is listed, but substantive testimony or rulings from that session are not yet verified.
Lisa Balog — Tom Strussion’s sister: she described the restaurant business, her final calls with the couple and notifying Griffin of their deaths. Defense questioning explored cash, gambling, associations and a possible blackmail account. These are witness accounts and questioned theories, not established criminal motives.
Matt Austin — Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation: he explained evidence collection and comparison DNA samples used to identify or exclude contributors. WTOV reported six witnesses testified; Austin was the last and the defense did not cross-examine him. The report did not announce a DNA match to Griffin.
WTOV reported court would resume October 28 at 9 a.m.; that setting is reported, not independently docket-confirmed. Griffin has pleaded not guilty. WTOV — Balog testimony · WTOV — six-witness recap.
Trial reporting is organized chronologically. Select a date to expand its proceedings, courtroom participants, and unusual developments.
October 27, 2026 — Pretrial motions and jury instructions · View More
Proceedings: In Ohio v. Andrew Griffin (25CR46), Judge Chris Berhalter heard evidentiary motions and discussed jury-view instructions. The prosecution’s Motion P was denied under Evidence Rule 616 concerning witness relationships and influences.
Witnesses: This panel concerns procedural matters only. Six witnesses testified in the October 27 trial session; see the separate Day 2 testimony entry above.
Courtroom roles: Judge Chris Berhalter; defense counsel Samuel Shamansky and Katherine Clark; prosecutors Kevin Flanagan, Joseph Vavra and Christopher Kinsler.
Notable circumstances: Evidentiary ruling and jury-view discussion. A procedural ruling is not a finding of guilt.
Source: October 27 proceedings transcript.
The trial began October 26 after jury selection concluded. Both sides delivered opening statements, jurors viewed the former Strussion home and six witnesses testified. WTOV reports that the death-penalty specification was removed by agreement to avoid further delay. These procedural events are confirmed; prosecution and defense theories and witness accounts remain attributed claims unless adopted in a court finding.
View More — Trial testimony log
October 26, Day 1: Six witnesses testified, including first responders and family members. Angela Strussion’s father testified about post-death conversations with Griffin and said Griffin raised a possible “mob hit” theory. This is witness testimony, not an established fact. WTOV reported that court was expected to resume October 27. Detailed cross-examination, admitted-exhibit and evidentiary-ruling records remain to be added from verified reporting or the court record.
09 | Verdicts, sentencing and appeals
No verdict or sentence is established by this review. The death-penalty specification was removed by agreement on October 26, according to WTOV. Any verdict, penalty-phase decision, sentencing order or appeal will be recorded from its dated source.
10 | Unresolved questions
View More — What records are still needed?
- Operative indictment, amendments, case number and latest scheduling order.
- Autopsy and firearm evidence supporting the alleged manner of killing.
- Fire-origin findings and the sequence between deaths and fire.
- Identification and significance of the Texas items.
- Location evidence, limitations and any expert challenges.
- Documented prosecution motive and the defense response.
View More — What will we track?
Jury selection, openings, witnesses, admitted exhibits, objections and rulings, verdicts, sentencing and any appeal.
11 | Court records and source documents
Primary material: the FBI page and poster. The sheriff’s statement is reproduced by a local outlet; the indictment is available as a news-site transcription, not a court-stamped download. Hearing and scheduling details below are attributed reporting.
- FBI ViCAP — victims and original incident
- Sheriff James Zusack statement, reproduced by Lede News — March 3, 2025
- Lede News — indictment text and trial security, August 2025
- Lede News — arraignment and investigation, March 18, 2025
- WTOV — August 14, 2026 pretrial hearing
- WTOV — September 25, 2026 plea deadline and discovery
- River News — October 12, 2026 jury-selection and trial schedule
- FBI — downloadable original ViCAP poster
Source review: October 22, 2026. Lede News — October 22 jury-selection completion and trial preview updates the earlier scheduling reports.