Large Prison Sentence For Hartford Killer: State

HARTFORD, CT — A 38-year-old Hartford man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing a 33-year-old Hartford man in 20222.

Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford State’s Attorney, said Wednesday that Judge Joseph B. Schwartz sentenced Benjamin White, 38, of Hartford, to serve 65 years in prison for the 2022 murder of Simon Griffin in Hartford.

On Oct. 28, 2025, a Hartford Superior Court jury found White guilty of murder, first-degree assault, and criminal possession of a firearm.

The sentence includes 50 years for murder, 10 years for first-degree assault, and five years for criminal possession of a firearm, Walcott said.

According to evidence at the trial, on Aug. 11, 2022, Hartford Police received a 911 call reporting shots had been fired at 252 Laurel St. and two individuals had been shot.

Walcott said Simon Griffin, 33, suffered two gunshot wounds to the head and was pronounced deceased.

A second victim, 27, sustained a gunshot wound to the neck and was transported to the hospital.

Walcott said the surviving victim provided a statement that on the day of the incident, he and Griffin were at Griffin’s apartment.

White, who was known to Griffin, joined the men and began smoking and drinking with them, she said.

Authorities said Griffin and White then got into an argument regarding a prior criminal offense White had committed.

White then left the room and re-entered with a firearm, Walcott said.

White pointed the firearm at the surviving victim and Griffin, ordering both men to sit on the floor, she said.

White then shot both men, wounding the surviving victim and killing Griffin, authorities said.

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