Asheville – On Friday, March 8th, Asheville Police Department (APD) patrol officers were dispatched to Compass Point Village around 3:23 a.m., where they found a man already deceased. APD reported that “the victim sustained violent blunt force trauma, which led to his death.”
The victim, identified as Robert Earl Griggs, was beaten to death and found by investigators in a room at Compass Point Village—the new $18 million facility for the chronically homeless. The facility is run by Homeward Bound and opened just six months ago. According to one report, Jessie Figueroa, a spokesperson for Asheville non-profit Homeward Bound, confirmed the incident involving newly charged murder suspect Garland Kuykendall Jr., 55, who was a resident of Compass Point Village on Tunnel Road in Asheville.
APD spokesperson Samantha Booth said the suspect was found in the nearby area and taken into custody without incident. Booth also confirmed this is the first homicide in Asheville in 2024. Kuykendall was charged with first-degree murder and booked into the Buncombe County Detention Center, where he is being held with no bond.
Next of Kin Was Notified
One of the victim’s family members posted on social media, “It’s with a heavy heart that I must say Perry Frank Griggs brother Robert was murdered last night. He was a sweet guy and so much fun to be around. I have searched for him for several months and couldn’t find him. The Sumter County Coroner came to our house today to deliver this horrible news.”
Kuykendall Had A List Of Priors
Eighteen mug shots of Kuykendall were found when searching the Buncombe County Detention Center website, and 6 more spots with no photo. These mug shots started in April of 2016 and continue for each year since, with some multiple offenses in the same year. The most recent offense before this murder charge was on June 5, 2023, when APD officers were called to Haywood and College Street at around 4 p.m. for a reported stabbing. A witness said that two men were having an argument when one pulled out a buck knife and slashed the other man’s hand. Then 54-year-old William Garland Kuykendall was found at a nearby parking garage and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Kuykendall was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $3,000 secured bond (or $300 to a bondsman) issued by the magistrate. Yet another failure by our magistrate to post a higher bond and hold a man who is an obvious multiple offender, and this time it led to the death of Mr. Griggs.
Homeward Bound Facility
Owned and operated by Homeward Bound, Compass Point Village is a “nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable and easily accessible housing with the primary goal of ending homelessness in Buncombe County.” They have put in safety measures and have a direct connection to Asheville First Responders and the APD; however, that didn’t help Mr. Griggs, who was visiting Kuykendall.
Because Homeward Bound representatives sold the idea of creating this facility as a “safe forever home for the chronically homeless,” many people are asking how this could have happened. The answer might be simple. Homeward Bound and the City of Asheville support the HUD Housing First program, a program called low barrier housing, because, unlike the WNC Rescue Mission, for example, they do not require any change in the habits of the residents. In other words, they can continue to do drugs and alcohol while living there, and they can invite anyone they want into their apartments.
This same program was a total disaster at the Ramada Inn near River Ridge, where the hotel operated as both a city-run homeless shelter and a hotel. Police responded frequently to the Ramada for overdoses, two of whom died, and several suicide attempts. The facility was finally shut down, and the developer skipped town without paying the contractor. This same developer has skipped out in other locations in the past, making locals question what kind of due diligence the City of Asheville did before hiring them.
Homeward Bound Makes a Statement
Homeward Bound of WNC released the following statement regarding the incident: “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. Thank you to our 24-hour Resident Safety Advisors on site and our strong partnership with the Asheville Police Department, who responded quickly.”
Despite this tragedy, Homeward Bound will not change their requirements.