By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Murderer and kidnapper John Wayne Card, 74, was again denied parole following a Tuesday, July 26, hearing out of Stockton.
Glenn County Deputy District Attorney Michael Coffey, who opposed parole on behalf of the People of Glenn County, attended the hearing by video conference. Members of the victim’s family also spoke in opposition to Card’s parole.
After a multi-hour hearing, the parole board denied Card’s release for three years.
On Thursday, June 27, 1974, Nancy Griffiths, 53, and her son, Ray, 21, returned to their home on County Road 39, north of Willows, following an appointment with her doctor. She had previously had surgery on her leg, was not yet fully healed, and had to use crutches.
They were met at their house by John Wayne Card, 26, who told them that an accomplice was holding Nancy Griffiths’ husband, Dr. Clayton Griffiths, a Willows veterinarian, and her daughter, Lisa Ann, 13, and the accomplice would kill them if Nancy Griffiths did not cooperate.
Card took Nancy and Ray Griffiths to a motel in Maxwell, where they all spent the night. The next morning, Friday, June 28, Card took them back to Willows.
Their first stop was at Sani-Food Market, where Nancy Griffiths was told to cash a check for the largest amount she could without raising suspicion. She wrote a check for $250.
Next, the three went to Bank of America, where Nancy Griffiths withdrew $5,000 from her savings account. From there, Card took his captives to Chico, then to a remote location near Nelson, about 6.5 miles south of Durham.
Card pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road and the Griffithses realized he was going to kill them. Ray Griffiths ran and escaped, but Nancy Griffiths was shot dead.
Ray Griffiths was able to find help and law enforcement responded in both Butte and Glenn Counties. In the former county, their focus was on finding Card, while in the latter county, their focus was in rescuing Dr. Griffiths and his daughter, Lisa Ann.
Tragically, they were already dead. Officers had expected to encounter Card’s accomplice, but instead discovered that there was never an accomplice and Card had used baling wire to strangle the veterinarian and his daughter about 100 yards away from the house.
After killing Nancy Griffiths, Card headed toward Durham. On Ord Ferry Road, he stopped at a small ranch and kidnapped widow Kay Skillin, 34, and her children Wesley, 13, and Debbie, 12.
Card kept the Skillins for about six days, driving them through Northern California, Nevada, Utah, and back to Northern California. On July 3 in Colusa County, in a remote location west of Williams, he chained the three to a tree and left.
They managed to escape and made their way to a ranger station.
As for Card, he was taken into custody on the Fourth of July while walking down a street at a flea market in Truckee. Officers recovered $3,000 of Nancy Griffiths’ money, and some firearms.
Card was a very big and strong man – 6 foot-4 inches tall and 240 pounds when he was arrested. In 1968 and 1969, he was the star tackle for the Princeton High School football team.
His dream was to play for the 49ers, but he reportedly did not possess the intellectual aptitude for college and he failed to be accepted by the NFL. In 1970, he was convicted of burglary and in 1971, he was found guilty of stealing hay.
Card was convicted at a jury trial and sentenced to death for the murders of Dr. Griffiths and Lisa Ann. However, in 1976, the California Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty violated the California Constitution.
The death sentences of Card and about 70 other inmates were commuted to life in prison. The statute was later updated to address other constitutional concerns of the California Supreme Court, but the commuted death sentences could not be reinstated.
Card has had several parole hearings over the years, including 2006, 2019, and now 2022.
Following the July 26, 2022, hearing, the D.A.’s office wrote, “The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the family of the victims for attending the parole hearing today and bravely speaking out against this dangerous killer being released.”
The Glenn County Observer 