From Staff Reports 

A man connected to the disappearance of two Asheville women whose bodies were found in the French Broad River was charged Nov. 9 with killing both of them.

Pierre Lamont Griffin II fatally shot Titianna Diz, 20, and Alexandra King, 22, in a secluded area near the River Arts District after the three traveled there in King’s car, according to the Asheville Police Department.

The bodies of Diz and King were found in early November near a train trestle on Emma Road. The young women were last seen Oct. 27 leaving their Canterbury Heights apartment in Northwest Asheville.

Griffin, 22, already was under arrest in a separate Oct. 27 killing when he was charged by Asheville police on Nov. 9 with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of destroying a body or remains concealing an unnatural death, and one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to warrant documents filed by the APD.

Police did not give a motive in the killings of Diz and King. However, the APD said that King and Diz left their apartment in King’s 1988 Volkswagen Jetta about 9:15 the night of Oct. 27 and drove to Deaverview Apartments to pick up Griffin.

The three then went directly to the secluded area near the French Broad River, where King and Diz were shot and killed. 

The women’s bodies — and their car — were later recovered from the river.