Update: Police say Asheville man beat another man to death; victim ID'd as 72-year-old

Ryley Ober, Asheville Citizen Times
Updated ·1 min read
Asheville police charged a man with murder March 8, the city's first homicide of the year.
Asheville police charged a man with murder March 8, the city's first homicide of the year.

ASHEVILLE - City police detectives arrested and charged an Asheville man with first-degree murder for allegedly beating another man to death early in the morning March 8.

Garland William Kuykendall Jr., 55, was taken into custody and later charged with first-degree murder following an investigation by Asheville Police Department.

When officers were dispatched to Compass Point Village on Tunnel Road around 3:23 a.m., they found a man already deceased, according to a news release from the police department. Police spokesperson Samantha Booth told the Citizen Times March 8 that the victim sustained blunt force trauma.

In an updated news release the evening of March 8, APD identified the victim as Robert Earl Griggs, 72. His next of kin have been notified, the release said.

"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all involved in this tragic incident that took place inside the suspect’s apartment early this morning," Jessie Figueroa, resource development director with Homeward Bound, told the Citizen Times in a March 8 email. "Thank you to our 24-hour Resident Safety Advisors on site and our strong partnership with the Asheville Police Department who responded quickly."

Kuykendall is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility under no bond issued by the magistrate. He has a court date set for March 11.

This is the first confirmed homicide in Asheville for 2024, the release said.

APD detectives and forensic technicians continue to investigate and ask if anyone has more information about the case to call APD at 828-252-1110 or anonymously share information by texting TIP2APD to 847411 or use the TIP2APD smartphone app.

This story will be updated.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville man arrested, charged with beating another man to death