A Houston man was arraigned on charges of rape, sexual battery and kidnapping Wednesday in the Oktibbeha County Circuit Court.Johnny “Radar” Griffis was indicted in connection with an incident involving a female Mississippi State University student.
On Aug. 12, Griffis allegedly raped a 19-year-old student who was jogging on campus.
The accusation prompted the indictment, which was made Jan. 18.
The rape occurred near the University Drive bridge that connects the MSU campus to the city of Starkville, according to an Oct. 16 report in The Reflector.
The student was jogging at approximately 8:30 p.m. She was ordered by a man who had been hiding in a wooded area to go under the bridge.
The suspect was described as a black male in his mid-20s who was reportedly wearing a gray tank top, black shorts and a pair of tan gardening gloves.
Griffis was charged by the Starkville Police Department for stalking another 19-year-old female student on occasions in May, June and October. These incidents led to the suspicion that he could be a suspect in the rape case.
According to an Oct. 9 report in The Reflector, the victim first filed her reports with the SPD in June after being followed by a man driving a gray Buick multiple times throughout May and June during her daily morning jogs.
At this time, no visual evidence was available, so the police were unable to investigate further, SPD Detective Laura Hines said in the report.
The victim returned to Starkville for the start of the fall semester.
She began jogging again several days before filing a second report, changing her route each day.
She filed the second report Oct. 2 after she noticed a vehicle following her on two instances.
The victim assisted the SPD in a sting operation Oct. 3 and Griffis was arrested between 5:30 and 6 a.m.
A trial date has not yet been set.