Alexandria Griste, 31, was initially charged with first-degree murder following a 9-1-1 call to police in Oxford, Mississippi, on June 8, 2022. Although her boyfriend was pronounced dead at the scene, Griste avoided a first-degree murder conviction.
After three hours of deliberation, the jury found her guilty of the lesser charge of imperfect self-defense manslaughter. On October 22, she was sentenced to 20 years in state prison—the maximum sentence for that charge—after her conviction on October 18, as reported by The Oxford Eagle.
During her sentencing, Griste stated that she did not intend to harm anyone, claiming she was “protecting myself and my children.”
Testimony revealed that Griste and her boyfriend, Lyles, began arguing via text on July 7, 2022, allegedly because he left home without informing her. Text messages showed discussions about him picking up McDonald’s for the family before escalating into an argument, with Griste warning Lyles he would be “dead” if he returned home.
She reportedly retrieved a 9mm gun from her sock drawer and waited for him to arrive. The argument resumed upon his arrival, and she claimed her intent was merely to warn him off. Griste testified that Lyles, described as an MMA fighter, moved toward her aggressively, prompting her to fire three warning shots.
She stated that when he continued to advance, she shot through a window in the door. Police later found Lyles’ body several feet from the door.
Griste’s defense attorney, Steve Farese, argued that there was no evidence to suggest she was not in fear for her life, noting her cooperation with law enforcement and that she had made the 9-1-1 call. “What kind of a world is it if a woman can’t protect herself and her children?” he asserted.
The prosecution countered that Lyles had come home with food and had no intention of causing harm, remaining in his vehicle for several minutes after arriving.
