Tammy Bogue’s relatives described her death as a betrayal after Brian Keith Griffin received 30 years.
MARSHALL, Texas — Tammy Christine Griffin Bogue was remembered as a grandmother who loved jokes, fishing and family gatherings before her son admitted killing her and received a 30-year prison sentence.
The Harrison County case ended with a guilty plea from Brian Keith Griffin, 37, but the sentencing hearing also became a public statement about Bogue’s life. Griffin pleaded guilty to murder in the November 2024 stabbing death of Bogue, 55, inside the apartment they shared on Norwood Street in Marshall. Judge Brad Morin of the 71st Judicial District accepted the plea and imposed the sentence.
Bogue’s obituary said she died Nov. 27, 2024, in her hometown of Marshall. It described her as a cherished daughter, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend. Her family wrote that she expressed love to those she knew and found joy in simple things, including fishing, cookouts, family gatherings and rides on back roads while listening to music. The obituary said she had a sense of humor and liked to make people laugh. It also said her grandchildren, KJ, Kaleb, Kameron and Kirstin Ann, brought deep joy to her life. Those family details stood in sharp contrast to the court record that followed.
Police said Griffin called 911 just before 12:45 p.m. on Nov. 27 and reported the killing. Officers went to the family apartment in the 2700 block of Norwood Street and found Bogue on the floor with multiple knife wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Court records said Griffin later admitted in a custodial interview that he stabbed his mother multiple times and intended to kill her. The killing happened in Marshall, a city about 40 miles west of Shreveport, Louisiana, and came one day before Thanksgiving.
The family had already lived with loss before Bogue’s death. Her obituary said she was preceded in death by her daughter, Kristin Bogue, and her husband, Wiley Bogue. It listed a wide circle of surviving relatives, including parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and friends. One survivor listed was Brian Keith Griffin of Marshall, the son later sentenced for her murder. That fact captured the double loss relatives described in court: Bogue was gone, and Griffin was headed to prison for killing her.
During sentencing, Bogue’s sister directly challenged Griffin’s explanation of mental illness. Griffin told the court he had a history of treatment, including treatment after a suicide attempt. His defense lawyer said he had been found competent to stand trial, and Griffin admitted he was not insane at the time of the killing. Bogue’s sister said he should have been taking medication if he wanted to blame mental illness for the violence. “This was not a tragedy,” she said. “It was a betrayal of trust to our family.”
Prosecutors said a trial could have centered on experts debating Griffin’s mental state. Harrison County District Attorney Reid McCain said that fight was avoided through the plea agreement. Griffin faced up to 99 years in prison if convicted at trial. McCain said prosecutors spoke with the surviving family several times and that relatives agreed to a sentence range of 30 to 40 years. He said they loved Griffin but knew he needed to be held accountable. The judge sentenced Griffin to 30 years, ending the case without jury selection or testimony from medical experts.
The sentence did not answer every question about the minutes before Bogue was stabbed. Public records have not described a clear motive beyond the statement attributed to Griffin after the killing. Bogue’s sister repeated that statement in court, saying Griffin had told investigators, “She had to go.” She then turned the phrase back on him. “Our final words to you, Brian: ‘Now you have to go,’” she said. The comment gave the hearing a final note from the family rather than from lawyers.
Brian Griffin’s conviction now stands as the legal record in Bogue’s death. As of April 27, 2026, the criminal case has closed with a 30-year sentence, while Bogue’s family continues to mark her life through the memories recorded after her death.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.