Griffin found guilty on all charges in double-murder trial
Trending
ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Andrew Isaac Griffin was found guilty by a Belmont County jury Wednesday of murdering his former Salsa Joe's business partner Thomas Strussion and Strussion's wife Angela Strussion and setting fire to their Trails End Drive home near Belmont on September, 21, 2021.
After roughly four hours of deliberation, the jurors found Griffin guilty of two counts of aggravated murder for Angela Strussion and two counts of aggravated murder for Thomas Strussion, and one count of arson.
Griffin stood still as the verdict was read, outside of repeated blinking. Belmont County Assistant Prosecutor Joe Vavra said Griffin faces a sentence potentially ranging from life with the possibility of parole to 20 years to life without the possibility of parole.
All four of the murder charges have a firearms specification.
Belmont County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Berhalter said sentencing will occur on Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. in his court.
Two of the four murder charges also have a specification of trespassing while committing, attempting to commit, or while fleeing immediately after committing or attempting to commit the offense of trespass and a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present.
Vavra added Griffin's arson charge carries anywhere from two to eight years in prison.
"Obviously, the decision that was come to today by the jury, we were very grateful for,” Vavra said. “We appreciate their hard work. This was a five-year investigation that included multiple law enforcement agencies, the state fire marshal’s office, Ohio BCI, Belmont County Sheriff’s Office, obviously the state attorney general’s office. We also had assistance from the FBI and other agencies, and really the two main investigators, [Belmont County] Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Detective Sergeant Jordan Blumling.
“They did everything they could do with the support of the sheriff’s office and Sheriff [James] Zusack," Vavra said. "So, all the members of their team that assisted in this were tremendous, put in a lot of man hours, and I think you saw the result here with the trial and with the verdict that was reached."
Vavra said he spoke with Thomas and Angela Strussion's families following the verdict and said they are very relieved to have this chapter end.
"They have been dealing with this for five years as well, in a much more personal and emotional manner than we have," Vavra said. "So for them to finally have this chapter close, I think they just feel a sense of relief and are happy that the guilty party will be paying the consequences for his actions."
Zusack added within those five years he became Belmont County Sheriff.
“This case started in 2021 under Sheriff [Dave] Lucas and I was chief deputy at the time. I became sheriff in 2025, and we basically, the past sheriff and myself approved everything in this case to be done so that this could come to this day," Zusack said. "I reached out to Sheriff Lucas, advised him of the verdict. He wanted to send his congratulations to the team, the prosecution, and everybody involved."
Zusack added he is very proud of not only his office but everybody that was involved with the case.
He also thanked his officers for providing additional security during the trial and the correctional officers in the Belmont County Jail where Griffin has resided since 2025.
Griffin was arrested in Hilo, Hawaii on Feb. 18, 2025, by the Hawaii Police Department in cooperation with Allar and Blumling.
Vavra added Griffin’s attorney Samuel H. Shamansky did not say if he plans to appeal the verdict.